Sins of the Father
by Gemmaaaaa
Summary: ROTS re-write! The fall of a hero... And a father.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:**_ _**This is a complete AU re-write of "Revenge of the Sith" so expect some major differences along the way through the most heart breaking story in the Star Wars saga. Enjoy!**_

It was getting later, almost too late… The ever vibrant skyline of the urban planet glowed as it always did with a thousand, thousand lights shining endlessly as far as the eye could see. Coruscant never sleeps… That's what the tourism promos claim and now more than ever the statement rung true to the anxious Senator. She'd spent countless evenings watching the skyline these past months, thinking, dreaming, daring to hope from time to time that perhaps one light of the many would belong to the ship she desperately wished to spy flying toward the imposing tower that held her home – _their_ home. Alas, the longer she looked, the weaker her hope grew that tonight would at last bring their reunion. It had been several months after all, what was one more night to wait in the wake of the time already lost to them?

And yet she paced, over and over, from one end of her lavishly spacious veranda to the other, unable to end the movement despite her need for _calm_. She was _prepared_ for tonight… She was ready! Like any speech in the Senate, she had her words well-rehearsed and ready to speak and yet now… Now the man intended to hear them isn't here to do so. Typical, she thought to herself ruefully, risking another glance out toward the airtraffic buzzing past almost soundlessly, he was always late.

Could she truly blame him though? After his joint accomplishment with Obi-Wan, no doubt the HoloNet reporters had hounded them for statements and details regarding the mission, and of course the Senate would be forming an emergency session at this very moment to see their Chancellor in good health with their own eyes – she _should_ be among them but there was no need for that, not tonight. If anything of genuine importance occurred in her absence, Bail would inform her in the morning. But perhaps worst of all, the Jedi Council would want detailed reports of her husband and dearest friend's success… Such things take time. It was understandable. But she was sure he'd come despite all of that, despite the likely ache in his bones and the pain of any wounds delivered onto his body by the combined efforts of Dooku and Grievous, she'd convinced herself that he'd make it.

He always did.

The rescue of the Chancellor of the Republic from the hands of the Separatists themselves was no small feat, both he and Obi-Wan deserve any and all praise which awaited them of course, but… Selfishly she wanted him here, with her and nowhere else. No one else should have the right to his presence before her, before he heard of what she carried within her. The news she kept so carefully between so few people because he deserved to hear it from her lips before anyone else had such a privilege… It was what it was. He'd be here, tonight, tomorrow, and then he'd know at last.

One arm slowly shifted lower, to cup the heavy swell of her stomach, allowing the evidence of their love to soothe her worries slightly. She'd recognised the signs of her pregnancy quickly, only a few weeks along but still too late to deliver the news to her beloved. He'd be happy when she told him, or at least she hoped so… Anakin had always harboured so much love in his heart and been so willing to give it, yet he'd had so few opportunities to share it as he would like. Her first pregnancy had delighted him so much so he'd kissed her until her lips ached but the bliss of the moment far outweighed the slight discomfort. If she closed her eyes now, she could still _feel_ his kiss and hear the joyous laughter leave his throat. She'd never longed to hear a sound again so greatly in all her days.

The only time she'd ever seen him happier than in that sweet moment had been the birth of their son… Their precious boy… And if all went well she'd be granted that same look of elation upon his face again sooner than later. The majority of her time cradling this little one within her had passed, much to the glee of her mother, always eager for more grandchildren to spoil. Padme's one regret in all this was being unable to share the experience with Anakin. If there was anything about the news she could envision truly making him unhappy, it would be missing most of it. But there was still time, plenty of time… Emdee said another few weeks at least. As if in agreement, the little one within her kicked harshly against her skin creating a thumping pulse. Much like her brother, her daughter was an active one.

Her _daughter_ …

The thought alone brought an endless smile to the former Queen's mouth as at last her pacing came to its end. She'd been on her feet too long, the familiar twinges of pain in her lower back were beginning to haunt her once again which meant it would not be long before her ankles decided to flare up too. An unladylike groan fled her lips as she lowered herself down onto the plush couch to ease the discomfort as best she could. While she'd loved every moment of carrying her little girl, she certainly wouldn't miss this side of it.

If Anakin was happy about their growing family, he'd be happiest of all about the baby's gender. He'd spent her first pregnancy declaring their son was a girl. Toward the end she'd almost feared _disappointing_ him if the baby was a boy! Luckily, any thought of a girl had been forgotten the moment the meddroid passed the wailing boy into his father's arms. She swore she saw tears fill his eyes but he denied it to this very day… It didn't matter, she knew the truth. And she had no doubts she'd be treated to the same sight again when their girl came into the world.

So lost in her thoughts as she caressed the swell of her stomach, the Senator almost missed the sight which for many lonely nights she'd longed to see. Somehow the flash of light from the approaching ship went entirely unnoticed, however the unmistakable roar of the heavily modified engine she'd come to know so very well did not fail to capture her attention. The moment the sound registered in her mind, she rose off of the couch as quickly as her condition allowed to gain a better look at the advancing ship. Almost shy after so long apart, she lingered behind one of the large marble pillars in a sudden pang of hesitation. Despite how terribly she'd missed him, with each absence grew a deep buried fear that perhaps this time something had changed. Perhaps the violence he witnessed had ruined him, smothering out the light she felt within his heart? What if he returned to her war hardened? Or he no longer found her as beautiful as he once did?

The worst fear of all wrapped its claws around her throat, choking the excitement from her heart until nothing but bitter dread remained in its place… What if he found another to sate his desire? Someone who offered comfort in the dark days of their separation, a replacement for her touch… Or worse still, a new guardian of his dear, dear heart? As much as she'd like to believe she was strong enough to rise above such despair, she knew in her soul such replacement would be her ruin.

The ship, a speeder upon closer inspection – he must have switched his military transport for the less conspicuous ship after leaving the Senate building – at last came to hover at the end of the veranda and she watched, heart thudding, as the cloaked figure rose from within the cockpit and all but leapt out onto the waiting platform. Behind him, the Astromech once belonging to her and so lovingly given as a sign of her devotion popped out of his place and landed gracefully with the aid of yet more modifications added by his master, the receiver of her gift… The poor droid was always being tinkered with in some way or another in his free time, though not for a moment did she believe he didn't love it as much as the Jedi he followed. "Go," the cloaked figure of her beloved spoke, breaking the tense silence and the sound alone gave her heart reason to rejoice. "Find Threepio, then shut down to recharge for the night buddy. Force knows we both need a good sleep." As if in agreement the treasured little droid beeped and tittered in a language only Anakin seemed to understand without the aid of built in translators aboard his ship and glided off to follow his master's command.

As long, muscled arms rose to push back the hood shrouding his handsome face in darkness, the Senator at last stepped out from her place behind the pillar, unable to wait a moment longer. He already knew of her presence, the Force itself whispers her proximity into his ear yet he remained rooted to the spot, casually shrugging off the heavy cloak and throwing it carefully onto her abandoned spot on the couch. It was different to the one she saw him wear last, new, or it had been at some point after he left her… She'd never seen he or any Jedi clad in a cloak as dark as the night sky before now; though he'd always favoured darker colours in his attire. Even now he stood before her, dressed as a shadow, from his robes to his boots, everything was black or as near to it as the Jedi's strict clothing rules would allow. He and Obi-Wan must make quite the contrast when side by side these days… The older Jedi seemed to prefer the standard beige robes with very little customisation, but then, Obi-Wan had always been happier to follow rules than her husband.

Certain rules, at least.

"You're back." She managed at last to force words past the sudden lump blocking her throat… The sight of him alive and well – _home_ – cleared all the silly fears which have haunted her mind in his absence, freeing her to focus entirely on his return. A mere glance at him told her he was unchanged, the same man who left her all those months ago. Who stood before her now was no war hardened ruin of a man, no, it was her Ani. Her beloved, her husband, father of her sweet boy… And the girl who grew strong within her. With his return, their family was complete once more. Her voice drew his gaze to her and _oh_ she had missed him… Each night without him was lonelier than the last; and every dawn she woke alone was unbearable… Every time she endured looking into her son's eyes to tell him his father had not yet returned was agonising. But he was here, at last he'd come home.

Unlike her, Anakin wasted no time with hesitations or apprehension before rushing toward her and, prompted by his sudden movement, she was ready to meet him half way. More than anything she longed to be in his arms again, safe and loved as if no time had passed without his embrace. Never one to settle for simplicities, the moment he had her in his grasp, she felt herself lifted, so her feet no longer touched the cold floor and spun with an elated chuckle from her beloved. There was no hope of stopping the joyful laughter flying from her own lips as she clung to him far tighter than perhaps necessary. The moment he set her back down upon her feet, her hands flew to his cheeks, at last allowing herself a good look at the face she'd missed so dearly… Mercifully he was untouched by the fighting save for the high burn marring his skin above and below his eye… Oh Ani… What could have happened?

"I've missed you so much!" She whispered and felt the familiar pricks of tears burning her eyes. Tears of joy, something few have ever given her cause to shed but what better time than now? After the rampant rumours of his death and whispers of his capture, he had defied them all and come home to her. At last her dearest wish had been granted.

"I'm overcome." He breathed fire against her skin, warming her with his touch and presence more than any distraction or victorious bill in the Senate ever could. He held her closer, burying his face in her hair and for one moment, just _one moment_ , there was peace. Everything but them, the war, the Jedi, the Senate ceased to exist. The Galaxy was still and there was nothing but husband and wife in each other's arms again.

Once more she was swept off her feet by her husband's possessive hold and it struck her that perhaps it was _her_ who had returned home… _He_ was her home and always shall be. If she were not in the condition she was, she'd have encased his hips with her legs but alas only her arms were able to wrap themselves around him for now. Unable to defy the want a moment longer, her slim fingers threaded into his golden, sun streaked curls and drew him down to her lips. Far, far too long had passed without their lips knowing the other's touch and she didn't intend to wait a single second longer. Taking her hint, Anakin's own hands, gloved and ungloved, after they freed her from his hold, rose to cup her cheeks as his mouth greedily plundered hers.

The kiss spoke of their love, of their commitment to one other and most of all the joy of their reunion. Too quickly a sense of urgency filled their movements, fuelling the tender touch of their lips until it became a desperate and hungry mating of tongues so satisfying that the occasional clashing of teeth went ignored in their frenzy.

Only when her back collided with something solid, be it the wall or pillar she didn't know, did she pull away, breaking the kiss with a greedy gasp of air. She couldn't let him… They couldn't continue until she'd had her chance to tell him everything… He'd gone too long without knowledge the joy which grew within her. It'd been difficult enough to keep Luke quiet about it in public; the idea of a sibling, a playmate had him overjoyed. "What is it?" Anakin breathed, nose pressed against her cheek in a moment of reverence and it was all she could do to not begin to tug the robes from his body at the shudder of his breath. It felt like it'd been an age since they'd had each other intimately… Not since the creation of their second child all those months ago in Naboo beneath the starlight and nothing else. _Soon_ , she promised herself, soon she'd guide him into the bedroom where they could reacquaint themselves with the other's body and he may see the changes in hers. But firstly, she had –

" _Dad_!" The excited tore the spouses apart and though she was reluctant to relinquish Anakin's touch, the only other soul entitled to him demanded his attention for the moment. As he should… Her time would come later. Luke had been waiting for this moment even more desperately than her… She'd caught him watching out the large transparisteel windows with eager eyes scanning every inch of the skyline for any sign of one of his father's ships more often than she could possibly count. The small blonde boy, his father's living image raced across the room and Anakin eagerly crouched to greet him with open arms… The sight alone was enough to wipe away every dismal and bitter moment she'd suffered through in these past months and instead fill her heart with the purest bliss.

As soon as Luke was in his arms, Anakin stood tall, holding his overjoyed son as close as he could. How many nights had he wished for this while he was away? Family was the single most important thing to him, he valued she and Luke above all else. He'd missed much due to this war and each time she swore it took something from his heart, created a void repaired only by the purity of their son's love. Her father once told her children are their parent's salvation and whenever she looked at Anakin and Luke… Her father's words seemed truer every time.

He comes back for her.

He comes back for Luke.

He fought and lived through this war for her and their family… What more could she possibly ask of him?

Anakin's flesh hand came up to cup their boy's blonde head as his eyes closed to savour the moment with his son. She may suffer through long separations from her husband but at least she always had Luke… Anakin had no such luxury and she doubted the few secret holos stashed in the depths of Artoo's memory drives soothed the ache of missing him. "I've missed you so much." He murmured then ghosted a kiss to the boy's soft cheek. In response Luke pulled back to look at his father with the widest and happiest smile she'd seen him give in quite a while. The love between father and son never failed to warm her heart and this time it gave her reason to be excited for revealing their news to Anakin… He was _wonderful_ father, the best any child could ever hope for. And he was going to love this baby endlessly.

"Did you do it?" Luke asked excitedly, any trace of sleep long gone from his eyes. She thought he was in bed… She tucked him in hours ago! She hadn't wanted him catching wind of his father's mission to rescue the Chancellor lest he become disappointed if something went wrong… He must have stashed a datapad away in his bedroom before bedtime. His father's son through and through. "Did you really save the Chancellor? The HoloNet news said you were gonna!" The faith he had in his father was humbling to behold. Anakin was Luke's _hero_. She'd caught him more than once watching the HoloNet for glimpses of his father and imitating his movements – particularly images of battles with his toy blades. The sight was utterly adorable... She'd recorded more than one holo when she had the chance for Anakin's sake. However there was always something deeply sad that struck her while watching last time… Luke missed his father, and without Anakin there to play with, images on the HoloNet were the next best thing.

Confident as ever Anakin merely chuckled and shifted Luke onto his hip. She couldn't say she wasn't curious about what happened too… A battle above the Coruscant's atmosphere was a frightening thing. The war had never been closer to home for many out there and as terrifying as those hours been awaiting any news had been, she prayed the experience had been eye opening for people. If the Separatists had managed to transport Palpatine into their territory, the war would have been lost – the Republic would have been destroyed under the rule of Dooku and his follows. The very democracy they'd been fighting for all this time would be over. For a quiet moment, the Senator's eyes fell shut as she silently thanked the Force for Anakin and Obi-Wan's victory tonight.

"Of course we did!" He assured Luke with a smirk, revelling in his son's awe. "Dooku has been defeated and when we find Grievous, the war will be over." Luke's beautiful blue eyes widened in astonishment as Anakin set him onto his feet once more. She'd heard as much said on the HoloNet before his arrival… They were closer than ever to the end, to an opportunity for peace to spread across the Galaxy once more. Perhaps the Senate could even reach a peaceful solution before Grievous was caught. The sooner they could begin to recover from the horrors of this war, the better for the Galaxy.

And her family.

"Can I come with you next time?" Luke pleaded with Anakin cutely, tugging on his arm as the excited words flew from his lips. " _Please_? I'll do everything I'm told, I promise!" She didn't envy her husband telling Luke no after that. The boy was _desperate_ to be just like this father and share the kind of adventures with him that feature in the stories he tells. And she was very much afraid that sooner than later he'd relent and whisk him away for some thrill or another behind her back… She _knew_ he'd do it; it was just a matter of when.

It was bad enough when he took him to Mos Espa to watch the Boonta Eve podrace a year ago. When they returned, Luke had his arms full of flags, posters and souvenirs and declared his intentions to build his own podracer after that.

"One day, I promise." A vague oath was still an oath and if she knew her son, he'd take his father's word as law. Perhaps if Anakin was right and the war was indeed coming to its conclusion, allowing those two go off to do Force knows what together _wouldn't_ be the worst thing in the Galaxy… If the war was over, everyone could at last know the truth of her life, of her marriage and Luke's true parentage. The deceit could finally fade away and their lives freed of all pretence… It was long past time her son could be seen with Anakin in public, that the gossip and rumours concerning his father ended and they could be a real family as they've always wanted. She knew how much strain it put onto her husband to pretend he was not Luke's father whenever others were around, to have to act as nothing more than a close family friend around almost everybody. She hated to watch him go through it each time he returned to them. It wasn't fair and the sooner it ended the better… Especially with a second baby on the way…

Perhaps their daughter would be born into a Galaxy without war.

"Luke, you shouldn't be out of bed…" The immediate pout and whine which followed her words verged on bratty yet was still adorable. He wanted to spend more time with Anakin; they were given so few opportunities to be together these days that she could hardly blame him. Soon they'd have all the time in the world together along with his baby sister. If her eyes closed for a moment, she could already see the four of them in Naboo, out in the meadow that overlooked the lake… She could envision Luke and Anakin taunting the Banthas while she and the baby enjoyed in the sun… Oh, if only they could go right now…

"But mom! Dad's back! Can't I just-"

"Your mother's right Luke… You need your rest." He dropped to one knee beside the boy, flashing a grin which _radiated_ danger and no doubt in Luke's mind, _fun_. "You're gonna need your energy for tomorrow." Tomorrow? What had he planned for tomorrow? Seeing Luke's curiosity, her husband's smile only grew as he leant closer and whispered as one would to their fellow conspirator, "if you go to bed now, tomorrow I'll take you flying." The curiosity which danced in Luke's bright eyes was snuffed out, replaced completely in one blink of his eyelids with an excitement felt to the degree which only a child's mind could muster. Well, he'd never sleep now! But how could she ever begrudge those two any time together? And Force knew piloting was in the Skywalker blood… Luke lived for their flying sessions.

It took several hugs from Anakin and several more promises that he'd come tell him a story to make Luke run off toward his bedroom under the guise of going to bed, but she wouldn't be surprised if they caught him chattering away to Artoo instead. It was alright, this was a special night for him. She was willing to overlook such things just this once. The moment the sliding doors merged together to offer them a little privacy Padme was hauled into her husband's arms once more and her next breath swallowed by his hungry mouth. All thoughts of talking faded yet again beneath the sheer joy of his touch. The tender ravishment of his mouth upon hers deepened once more as her arms slipped around his neck.

They did not have very long. If he lingered more than a few minutes, Luke would be back wondering what was keeping him… And yet the thought did not tempt her into breaking away from his kiss, not for one moment. Their son deserved all the time he could get with his father but for just for a little while, she needed her Ani. With him returned to her, her soul at last was complete once more. Between fierce kisses words of love were whispered and panted into each other's mouths, words of passion and sweet declarations of remaining side by side forevermore… Sweet, unkeepable promises that would last only until the sun rose and their duties called upon them once again. She'd happily take what she could get, even the loving lies neither of them ever truly believed.

The kiss ended only when the need for air was absolutely necessary and unavoidable any longer. They parted slowly, reluctantly, unwilling to forsake the other's touch a moment sooner than they had to. "Oh Anakin…" She sighed and allowed herself to take in the delirium of his return. She wishes to see no one else, feel no one else and hear nothing else but him. "I was so worried about you! Each time the HoloNet aired another broadcast, I feared it carried news of your death – there's been _so many_ rumours…"

At once he treated her to the golden smile she'd missed so dearly, the cocky grin both infuriating and loving at times… Few sights had the power to make her heart soar as this did. "I'm alright…" He reassured her quietly and for a moment he looked as overcome by her presence as he swore to be and it was difficult keep herself from weeping for the joy of it. "I promised you," He began their parting vow, recited each time he was shipped off back to the battles to fight this war.

"You'll always come back…." She finished the words herself and felt his flesh hand cup the back of her head protectively as she spoke. It was only promise they'd ever been able to keep, to _truly_ keep, other than their vows to love one another for the rest of their days. Two hands slipped up to touch his cheeks as he smiled down at her, basking in his presence. "It feels like you've been gone a lifetime Ani… Much longer and I don't know how I'd have survived it."

" _You_ don't know you'd survive it?" His chuckle came well naturedly, but she knew him well enough to sense the bitter undertone hidden beneath the humour. She was well aware how much more difficult their partings were for him… After all, whenever he was gone, she still had a piece of him to by her side to guide her through the darkest of days and the loneliest of nights… If she did not have Luke, she didn't know how she'd have gotten through these past five years. She swore to the stars themselves, Anakin would have an infinite amount of happier times when the war was over, so many that all the bitter memories he carried on his tired shoulders would be faded in the wake of their joy. She swore it by the Force itself because he _deserved_ it.

"You've been so brave Ani… I'm so proud you… Our _son_ is proud of you…" Her hands lowered their touch, to stroke the backs of her fingers along the thick robes covering his chest as her words left her lips. They were nothing but truth, if Luke could boast about the truth of his father; he'd shout it from the roofs of the highest buildings on Coruscant. He was _fiercely_ proud of his father's accomplishments and it broke her heart to keep his true name from him. One day their golden boy would wear the name _Skywalker_ as his badge of honour, as would she… It was the truth of their existence, one she knew both Anakin and Luke craved to acknowledge greatly. "And…" Looking up, into his eyes she hesitated. When she told him she was with child the first time, it terrified her. She'd feared an angry reaction or rejection… Instead he'd swung her around in his arms and proclaimed the deepest love for her… That had come before they knew the reality of raising a child in secret, or at least raising him without public knowledge of his father… In truth it'd been far harder on them all than she'd ever anticipated.

And now they were about to add another child into the mix. As badly as she tried to convince herself he'd be happy at the news, part of her struggles to believe he will be. With Luke, he'd been blinded by love and optimism… By his desire for _family_ and home. Now they'd tasted the truth of this life, and it was the furthest thing imaginable from _easy_. He may not even _want_ another child… This baby certainly wasn't planned, though nor was her brother, but she existed and soon the world would know of her too. The moment of hesitation passed and the time to reveal the truth had come. One hand sought out his and guided it from her hips and beneath the heavy purple velvet of her Senatorial cloak, perfect to hide her condition from public eyes. "And so is our daughter."

The joint revelation of the roundness of her stomach against his palm and her words left the Jedi wide eyed and breathless for a moment. It was not unexpected, she herself had to lower herself down into the nearest available chair upon realizing for herself. Yet still her eyes watched his intently as she attempted to gage his feelings. His lips parted slightly in his shock and after a moment he glanced away, looking instead to the floor beneath their feet as a shuddering breath escaped his throat. As if avoiding her gaze completely his eyes darted toward the skytraffic outside. Before his arrival she'd all but convinced herself he'd be happy… That this news would bring him the very same joy it brought her, however now… Now she was afraid her fearful suspicions of his contentment with merely their son were correct. At last he seemed to swallow the surprise as his tongue darted out to wet his lips. What was he going to say?

"That's…" Another shaking breath left his mouth, as if speaking physically pained him… Perhaps it did. "I thought that…" He attempted again and slid the gloved hand resting upon her stomach just a little, almost experimentally and was rewarded with the slight thump of the baby's foot against his palm. At once every trace of nervousness, all the shock vanished as his beautiful smile finally appeared, joined by breathy laugher. "That's – Padme, that's – this is wonderful!" There was no time for her mind to form a response to his words, for he all but tore the expensive cloak from her body to reveal the swell of her stomach beneath her loose gown and fell to his knees before her. She could do nothing more than watch as his lips pressed to the soft material covering her stomach for a moment where the little one's foot just kicked. "Our little girl…" Came an amazed whisper and those simple words were her undoing. All the worry and stress came to blows with the joy his delayed reaction had created, resulting in the sudden welling of hot tears which wasted no time before they spilled onto her cheeks. _This_ was what she wanted from him… This was the reaction she'd dreamt of.

"Ani…" His name left her mouth as a whisper and he rose back to his full height only to be yanked down again as she sought his lips for the softest of kisses. What they share was something beyond love, more than any words could ever hope to capture… It was eternal, _elemental_ … Meant to be known only by them, she swore it. No man in all the Galaxy knew love the way she loved him, just as there was no woman as loved as she.

"You're my _life_." He panted once freed of her kiss and delight lit up his beautiful azure eyes. The eyes he gave their son, and if the Force was kind, their daughter too. "Both of you – all three of you…" He gifted her lips with another kiss far less gentler than the last. "I _breathe_ for you, for all of you." She held no doubts to the validity of his loving claims. His very survival was for them, she knew that to be the truth down to her bones. His arms wrapped around her waist to hold her to his body as best he could with her stomach so swollen. "Let me claim them," he begged quietly, voice barely above a whisper. " _Please_ … I'm tired of all this deception. I want everyone to know the truth."

His words came as if he's just thrown a barrel of ice water into her face. The tenderness of the moment, the love they share died away as her every muscle tensed beneath her skin. He'd neverasked her this before, _never_ … They had an agreement. They couldn't just change it now; it wasn't the right time. " _Anakin_ …" Gently, she freed herself from the cage of his arms, and took a step, then two and then one more to be away from him. Why was he doing this? Couldn't they just enjoy this time together without plunging themselves into a fight? After a moment, she turned to face him once more with a small shake her head as her mind raced to find the correct words, the right promise to offer in order to placate him for the night. "You… We _can't…_ Not until the war is over, that's what we agreed…" They made this agreement on their wedding night, on the day of Luke's birth and many times afterward. Their life was not easy to live but their choice was for the best. That hadn't changed.

After her words, he turned his back on her and emitted a frustrated growl. There was _nothing_ she'd love morethan to tell the world she was Anakin Skywalker's _wife_ , that she bore him a son and carried his daughter within her… She hated the deception every bitas much as he did. And what made it worse was their son being forced to take part in it… But the consequences of the truth would destroy them! He _knew_ that! The Jedi needed him and the Republic needed her voice to cry for peace. "It's to keep him safe…" She approached him as one would the wildest of animals, slowly, with quiet words as she reached out to graze her fingertips along his back. Anakin could be worse than a Nexu while cornered; she had to be careful with her words. "To keep them _both_ safe. If word got out that you'd fathered children – any children, mine or not – targets would be placed on their backs. It would attract the worst criminals in the Galaxy, willing to do anything to make their fortune. Is that what you want?"

"Of course not!" He barked and shrugged her hand off of his body as his own dragged their way across his tired face. Any joy in their reunion was gone, replaced by the awful tension filling the room… If the conversation continued, she feared it would end in a fight. The very last thing she wanted tonight of all nights. The worst thing that could happen would be for him to snap and storm out in his anger at their current circumstances. The idea of retiring to bed alone knowing he could have joined her was unthinkable. He _had_ to stay. Not merely for her sake but for Luke's too. While he'd never disappoint their son purposely, if he were to wake in the morning without Anakin here it would cause complete devastation.

Though he'd only just pushed away her touch, she offered it once more and gently trailed her hand along the knots of his spine. "I know you abhor it when I speak of duty Ani," as if in agreement, his body tensed beneath her palm. She despised having to caution him about duty just as much as he loathed to hear it, but one of them had be responsible. If she was not… She dreaded to imagine what would happen. She could not merely be his wife right now, she had to be the Senator and mother too. "But our duties _matter_. We've pledged our lives into public service and we have to see it to the end… If it weren't for the HoloNet's constant praise for you, many people would have lost their faith in the Republic ability to win this war years ago. Anakin, when your name is spoken in reference to a mission or rescue attempt, the Galaxy takes a sigh of relief because you're our hero. _You_ are who the people trust to win this war for us. However the downside to that is, you've created countless enemies all across the Galaxy…" She shifted closer to him, so he had no other choice but look into her eyes as she spoke. With a sad smile, she lifted her hand to caress his cheek as gently as she could. "If those enemies knew you'd fathered Luke and the baby, the danger would be imminent. Do not think of fighting this war to its conclusion as your duty as a Jedi. Think of it as your duty as a _father_ , to end this war so our children can grow up knowing peace."

Despite his quiet brooding, he lovingly grazed the curve of her stomach with his flesh hand before it slid up, along her arm as it came around his waist. His touch was progress… Slow progress, but progress nonetheless. "How do you always know exactly what to say?" His attempt to remain sullen failed him and ultimately his lips gave into the urge to smile just a little and it's enough for her. She'd never expect him to be truly happy about any of this, how could he be? But his acceptance is all she'd ever ask of him.

"I'm a politician… We're well known for our ability to spin ugly truths in a more favourable light." With a slightly more genuine smile than his, she rose up on her tiptoes and brushed a gentle kiss upon her husband's waiting lips, grateful and relieved all at once that he had chosen to accept their reality again rather than fight it. One day things would be the way they wished them to be, however until that day came, this was the way it was. "Now, go to Luke and tell him his stories and when he's asleep, come to bed my love…" It'd been too long since she'd felt his touch and she'd rather not wait a moment longer than they had to indulge themselves in one another. Against her lips she felt him smile as he kissed her once more and at least for tonight, all was well.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews on the previous chapter! They were very inspiring. I had a lot of questions about how similar this will be to ROTS, and what I can tell you is this, that movie and this story circle each other. In some parts, they'll be very similar, in other's there'll be jaw droppingly different. Just wait and see and hopefully, you'll love it as much as I do.**_

"Pull that one," the Jedi instructed, corners of his lips curled up into the most prideful of grins. The small boy wedged between his legs eagerly did as he advised; tugging at the leaver with could be considered slightly _too_ much enthusiasm. In response, the ship hurdled forward faster, making his job evading the debris left over from the remnants of the earlier battle above Coruscant that much more difficult. No matter, he had everything in control. They hadn't named him _Tan Skywalker_ for nothing. "See Artoo, I told you he'd be able to do it." The droid's frightened squeal only inflamed the boy's excitement further, encouraging his ever growing speed-lust. "Oh, _come on_ … You're beginning to sound like Obi-wan!"

The droid did not appreciate his comment and the Jedi was graced with several furious beeps as Luke propelled them further along, blissfully ignorant of the disagreement.

All around them stars glittered magnificently, but the stunning sight failed to capture the interest of either Skywalker as the Jedi's Starfighter raced through the open space occupied a mere twenty-four standard hours ago by battling fleets. Bringing his son here was a risk, there were active clean-up efforts in progress, but after enduring such a lengthy separation from his child, Anakin wasn't going to let that get in the way of their time together… Not after he promised to fly with him just last night. Luke was taller than he remembered him being, he mused, for just five he was growing rapidly… The fact should make him _proud_ , any father should be happy to see his son sprout, but the difference only served as a reminder of all he missed.

First words, first steps, life days…

If the choice were his own, he'd gather Padme and Luke into her Star Skiff and fly them to Naboo with no thought spared to the consequences. Let others fight for the fate of the Galaxy; he'd sacrificed enough for it already. His wife, however, was as stubborn as a Hutt naming a price… She could never bear to disappear while they had so much responsibility on their shoulders, _duties_ even. And so, he'd do what he must to end this war as quickly as possible. With Dooku gone, the likelihood of it lasting beyond another year had crashed into something close to impossible. Only Grievous truly stood in the way of his future happiness now, and Anakin wasn't going to allow that bucket of bolts keep that place warm for much longer.

"Is mommy really having a baby?" Luke asked curiously, peering back at him with a craned neck. Anakin would rather face another battle on Yavin than this conversation alone without Padme's quick wit. Perhaps it was easier for Luke to speak to him than his mother on the matter, but he desired his wife's assistance in the explanation. Just his luck that Luke would ask now… Could they could comm her? No. He'd manage on his own. He'd faced worse horrors than explaining a baby's existence to his son… None that came immediately to mind, but he knew he'd faced them.

"She is," he begun easily, better to test the waters than rush into any answers. Let Luke guide him through this and follow his lead. "Your sister will be here before too long." More than slightly interested, as he wasn't there to witness Padme break the news of the imminent arrival of a sibling, Anakin couldn't resist the urge to ask, "does that make you happy?" His second child, his _daughter_ brought a delirious grin across the General's face before he was aware of it… He'd always wanted a little girl with Padme's eyes and now his wish drew closer by the day. If he could will her birth this very day, he would.

" _Yeah_ …" Luke gave a casual shrug, returning his gaze to the ship's controls, "but how did the baby get _in there?_ " If it were possible to feel the blood drain from his face, Anakin would have felt it then, in that very moment. _That,_ was not a conversation he'd prepared himself for. The entirety of it was something he imagined as far off, when Luke was older… Not now, cramped into his cockpit far from his wife's aid. Had Padme offered an explanation already? What if he said something that debunked whatever answer Luke had already heard? "Wait! I already know!" The boy declared loudly, reaching forward to toy with a button or two before him.

"You do?"

"Ryoo told me." _Force help him now_. Was Ryoo old enough to understand the truth? As hard he as attempted to recall the girl's age, it evaded his mind despite his strong affection for his little niece… He'd attended her life day only months ago! He'd make sure to ask Padme for a reminder upon their return. "She said, that when someone wants a baby, they order it on the Holonet and when it comes, you swallow it and it gets bigger and bigger until it's ready to come out." The sheer _innocence_ of such a conclusion drew barked laughter from the relieved father. If the tale was Sola's invention, he applauded her… If it were Ryoo's, he loved it even more. Children truly were the purest part of life.

"Yes, she's right. That's how it happened."

Without allowing his son to notice what was happening, Anakin carefully set the course back to Coruscant. They'd been flying for over three standard hours now and Padme mentioned something about a tutoring session for Luke this morning… In truth, he hadn't been listening to her as he should have, he'd been too excited by the prospect of time with his son to plan for time limits. It had been too long since it had been just them, since he'd had a chance to spend uninterrupted time with Luke with no pretences or lies exhausting them both. He'd planned to _enjoy_ this, and he had. _Greatly_.

His attention was drawn to the boy in question as the he wriggled against him, reaching back as a little hand to rummaged through his heavy cloak, awakening Anakin's curiosity. "What are you doing…?" Whatever self-given mission Luke attempted was abandoned quickly with a frustrated sigh, and a moment later the unmistakable _click_ of Anakin's lightsaber being freed of his belt after a little concentration. The weapon flew straight to his son's waiting hand and if it were any youngling in the temple, immediate negotiations to retrieve the lightsaber would begin, but he trusted him not to be a fool… It wasn't the first time he'd pulled such a trick. Yet, the fatherly instincts within him couldn't resist a gentle warning, a small reminder even, of the danger. " _Careful_ there…"

His cation went ignored, swallowed by delighted laughter as Luke played with the hilt, curving his lips to imitate the hum of the lightsaber as Anakin piloted them toward home… Any distraction from their return was a welcome one. They didn't need any tantrums ruining this time together. "One day, I want to be a Jedi just like you!" The small boy declared suddenly, and his hand faltered on the way toward the lever he needed to pull… _A Jedi?_ _A Jedi just like him?_

Being a Jedi was _not_ what it was made out to be – certainly not what he'd believed it would be as a boy. He'd thought they were the greatest and mightiest heroes who ever lived, unbeatable, indestructible and _just_. He'd learned quickly how untrue such notions were. However, none of that meant for a moment that he planned to dash his son's hopes. For now, he'd encourage Luke's dreams – what kind of father would he be if he did not? But, he vowed, Luke would not step foot within the ranks of the Jedi while Anakin still had breath in his body.

* * *

The Senate building was unusually quiet when the pair entered, having left Artoo to watch over the ship, and Anakin was glad. With no meetings for a few days, most politicians saw no need to turn up and do the job their people had chosen them to do – Padme claimed it was not quite that simple, but it was. Though, at the moment, he was grateful for the Senators lack of interest in their careers, as it meant he and Luke were free of the public masks forced upon them throughout the continuance of the war.

The boy galloped a few steps ahead, forever full to the brim of energy and excitement and he smiled at the sight. Sooner than later he'd have a sibling to join his games. Sometimes he feared that… That, Luke was often lonely, just as Anakin himself had been as a boy. Luke had his friends, of course, and his cousins whenever visits were possible, but his life was far from that of a normal child. With such a high profile mother, his safety couldn't be risked by allowing him to attend school, thus the private tutors Padme hired for his education. Anakin loathed the idea of the boy missing out on anything because of he or Padme, and to know without doubt that he _did_ , that his life lacked constant playmates on a daily basis left him feeling heartsick.

If life was different, he and Padme would have had more children by now, he was sure of that… They'd never discussed the matter with any serious thought, but from the early days of their marriage, he knew the desire for a larger family was a mutual one. Their little girl was a surprise, unexpected but not at all unwanted. He'd have them surrounded by a battalion of children if it were his choice, but unfortunately, there was a war in the way of such things, for now.

In his excitement, Luke collided with none other than his mother's closest associate and friend, Bail Organa. The sight of the man smiling down at Luke, while not unpleasant, almost drew a groan from the Jedi as he walked slightly faster to approach the pair. Organa greeted him with a wide and genuine smile, and Anakin did not sense any ill will or intent from the man, but his presence meant he was forced to slip back into the much dreaded role of close family friend and leave behind the cherished title of father… He'd rather be spending this time with his son and his beloved, not here in the necessary pretence.

The Senator fell to one knee before Luke, forgetting for a momentarily about the datapad in his hands. "And how are you young one?"

The boy practically bounced on the spot in his enthusiasm, grinning from ear to ear at the man's question. "We went _flying_! My da-" Sensing the fast paced joyous frenzy of his son's thoughts, Anakin gently placed a hand on the buzzing boy's shoulder to quiet him before a fatal slip up could destroy all they'd worked to hide. If Organa suspected anything, he did well hiding it, for he sensed nothing from the Senator. At least, nothing of any interest to his situation, that was.

"Senator Amidala mentioned he'd been a little restless of late." He spoke confidently, truth laced tightly into each syllable leaving his mouth. "So, I thought a little adventure might burn off some of that energy." Understanding dawned across the man's face and something flickered to life, deep in his mind but smothered in that same moment… Something that sparkled with – with _envy?_ What would Organa have to envy of him – of Padme? Strange…

Anakin watched the man rise to his full height with an amused grin painting his features, whatever flicker of envy he felt, long dead and buried deep into his consciousness, too deep for the Jedi to dig out without notice. It was very… Bizarre. Perhaps the work of keeping the Republic afloat had simply grown tiresome and Organa wished for an adventure of his own? No one in the Galaxy could blame him for that, not even Anakin himself. He knew how tedious the work of politics could be, how many times had he seen his wife come close to tearing her silken locks from her scalp in frustration?

Too many.

"He certainly is a wild one!" Organa smiled and Anakin could only chuckle proudly. Luke certainly kept he and Padme on their toes day to day, he wondered for a moment, what it would be like when the little one came along… At least he, unlike his wife, grew used to sleepless nights quickly. A skill he'd soon have to fall back into relying upon when the baby came screaming and kicking into the world – if she was anything like her brother, that was. Luke could be louder than an angry bantha as an infant – still could, if a bad enough temper struck him – so they were certainly in for an interesting time.

At least Luke was almost always calm and rarely badly behaved. Anakin saw more of Padme in their son than himself beyond the physical. Perhaps, for the boy's sake, that was for the best. He prayed his baby girl, too, would escape the worst of him…

"One day," Luke beamed up at Organa, eyes twins to his own twinkling in excitement, "I'm gonna be a Jedi and fly ships and fight the bad guys too!" Just as before, his son's word did not inspire a flair of fatherly pride as he imagined most would feel upon hearing their only son eagerly announce they intended to follow in his footsteps. The same dread as before flowed through him, waking the dragon of fear caged in his chest and fuelling its humour at the crippling anxiety such innocent aspirations inspired. _They'll take him from you_! It roared, breathing its fire into his heart. " _They'll twist him, change him – they'll ruin him!"_

 _Never_! He swore it to the very Force itself, to the stars and Gods if they existed. The Jedi would never have his son – or his daughter. He'd burn every planet in the Galaxy to ashes before he let the cold hands of the Order grasp the shoulders of his children.

For a moment, Anakin felt the dragon smirk.

"The Order would be honoured to have you, isn't that so, General Skywalker?" Organa and Luke both glanced at him, one friendlily the other expectantly and the burn of both pairs of eyes seared his skin more than any flame could ever hope to. What did they expect him to say? He had no answer to give to such statements, not now, and not before Bail, especially. Instead of battling his mind, his _fear,_ for words of encouragement, of half-hearted confidence, Anakin instead forced a mummer's smile upon his lips and gave his son's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Excuse us, Senator. Senator Amidala will be wondering what I've done with her son." It was an escape, a pathetic one at that, but it worked. And for that, he was grateful despite the flash of confusion he felt from the other man. He cared little of what Organa thought of him, only that the conversation was over and the dragon slipped back into its slumber.

"Of course." The Senator nodded. "Be good for your mother, young one."

By some mercy, Luke took it upon himself to gallop off, leaving no room for last minute talk between the adults, and Anakin rushed after him. There was no true reason to, Luke knew the way to his mother's office, and even if the redrobes were not stationed at every corner, he would sense any danger. He saw no reason to keep the boy leashed to his side – let him play. As he turned the corner Luke vanished around, he felt the familiar tingle through the Force, the same he felt whenever Obi-wan or Ahsoka concentrated deeply within the Force – thoughts of the latter came so unwillingly to his mind, so unexpectedly, that the Jedi paused momentarily to breathe, as all air fled his lungs at the memory of a young Togruta who'd vanished at the end of the tall set of stairs outside the temple.

He hadn't thought of _her_ in some time.

And he would not think of her now.

The sensation was not weaker than when he sensed it from Obi-Wan, but it was undeniably… _Smaller._ And it could only belong to one being in the Galaxy… Which meant his son was attempting to use the Force in one way or another. Whatever game he played or mischief he'd gotten himself into _should_ be encouraged, the Force was as much a part of Luke as it was Anakin, and yet the deception that was their lives compelled him to tell the boy _no_ , to reprimand him if need be. This was, after all, the Senate building, quiet as it was, it was a public place and no one could be allowed to see Luke's use of the Force.

When he caught up with the boy, Anakin found him halfway through inhaling a piece of Shuura – a favourite Padme's too – and one glance at the bowl set on the high table told the Jedi all he needed to know. He used it to reach for what his height would not let him… _How_ was he supposed to discourage that? The act itself was so _innocent;_ there was no wrongdoing, only a _child_ who craved a piece of sweet fruit. "Luke…" He spoke quietly, bringing his cybernetic, gloved hand up, to pinch harshly at the bridge of his nose. What was he to say? _Don't use the power that flows through you? Ignore all I've taught you? Deny who and what you are?_

Suddenly, Anakin felt far older than his twenty-eight years – and more tired than he'd felt in a very long time. "You – you know better than to do that in public." He murmured weakly, pursing his lips into a thin line. Luke should be _supported_ in using the gifts the Force had granted him, which he had inherited from Anakin himself! Not reprimanded! It was unfair, cruel and shameful.

The little disappointed sigh that escaped Luke's mouth pained his heart… He hadn't even been back a full day and he'd already scolded him – however lightly. Hardly the day of fun the boy was expecting, he was sure. Like father, like son, a matching sigh of his own fell from the Jedi's lips as he sunk down to one knee before the boy, placing his hands, both real and replaced upon Luke's small shoulders. "It won't always be like this, I promise."

The words he'd hoped might brighten Luke's face only dulled it further, there was no childish pout marring the his face, only a deep and true sadness no child his age should feel, especially not his own child. "You always say that." He did all in his power to avoid his father's eye, and that, coupled with the sheer _disappointment_ in his voice couldn't have wounded Anakin more if he'd taken his own lightsaber and run him through with it.

"I know." He admitted guiltily, cupping Luke's soft cheek and gently drawing the boy's gaze back to himself. But I mean it too." Still, his words do nothing to cheer his son up, so he tried again, reaching within himself for something more playful, less serious this time. "Do you know what I'm going to do the very _moment_ this war is over?"

"What?"

A spark of curiosity took light in Luke's azure eyes and the purest relief courses through his veins. There was still a chance of repairing this day, and for that he was unendingly thankful. "I'm going to climb in my ship with Artoo, and we're gonna fly across the Galaxy as fast as we can to come home to you. And all those promises, they're going to _mean_ something."

"What will they mean?" Luke asked wide-eyed and so childlike that something akin to a smile tugged at the corners of his lips in response.

"They'll mean…" He begun, searching his mind for the correct words. "They'll mean we'll be the family we're supposed to be. There'll be no more lying or pretending." As an afterthought, he added, "and you can use Force whenever you want." He should be able to take advantage of the power he had to follow whatever childish whim took his mind, and soon, he would. On that day, Anakin would be proud indeed.

The same blessed excitement Luke felt before returned not only to his eyes, but it exploded to life within his Force signature too, and he had to battle down the urge to embrace the boy then and there. Such things had to wait for now, until they reached the privacy of Padme's office. "Even to steal cookies from grandma Jobal's jar?"

This time, he could not help himself but pull the boy forward to press a lingering kiss to his forehead, damn the risk. Luke was possibly the sweetest, gentlest and most loving child in the entire Galaxy… How had he had any part in the creation of something so utterly _perfect_? "Only," he leant closer, whispering mischievously as he delighted in the chance to make plans of slight misbehaviour with his child. "If you steal one for me too… And don't tell your mother or she'll ground us both."

"No one can ground a _Jedi,_ dad…" Luke informed him, as if he'd committed some unwitting blunder and it was all he could do not to scoop the boy into his arms then and there.

* * *

The moment they entered Padme's office, she practically leapt to her feet, abandoning whatever bill or message she'd previously been typing and approached them with the most dazzling smile his eyes had ever been treated to. The green velvet of her gown not only effectively concealed the swell of her stomach, but also made her _glow_ alluringly. If she did not immediately open her arms for Luke, Anakin might have been tempted to pull her into his own…

"How was flying?" She laughed as their son squirmed out of her embrace with a groan… That was new; Luke was usually more than willing to accept his mother's affections. What could have… _Ah._ Anakin's answer came quickly in the form of his son's shy glance at his mother's handmaiden, Motee, he believed. One quick dip into Luke's Force signature explained everything; it was alight with nervous energy – not at unlike he himself around Padme all those years ago.

Luke's first crush…

He wondered if Padme had noticed yet, if not, she would eventually. Almost nothing slipped past her keen sight, especially not things such as this – if Luke was embarrassed by his mother's kisses, Anakin could only imagine the humiliation he'd feel at the inevitable inquisition. Perhaps, he would keep her distracted… For Luke's sake – and Motee's of course.

"He'll be a full pledged pilot in no time!" He answered honestly, politely clasping his hands behind his back as he fell too easily, too habitually into the role of Padme's close friend before her uninformed handmaiden. The woman herself posed no threat, he sensed nothing but warmth from her, and she greeted Luke's blushing smile with a kind grin in return… But she was not one of the trusted few among Padme's staff who knew the truth of their lives, and thus, they had to be careful.

"As good as you?!" The boy demanded eagerly, grinning from ear to ear at his words and it prompted a smile of his own. Yes, Luke had potential to be great pilot one day, with the right training and hard work of course. He had the talent and the drive, all he needed now was to get a little older to properly fit into the cockpits without Anakin being there to work the controls beyond his reach.

" _Better."_ He promised, and meant it.

Somehow, without any aid, Padme rose back to her full height as if she were not heavy with his child, and his eyes widened slightly at the sight… How had she managed that? While carrying Luke, she'd required his assistance with even the most basic of tasks, lowering herself into chairs, rising from them again, fetching whatever strange food her cravings required at ridiculous hours of the night. And now… Now she'd adjusted to him not being there to help her. Anakin didn't know what meals she'd woken in the middle of the night craving this time, nor been able to watch her body change as their baby grew within her, or simply _been there_ to do what he should have.

No more, he swore. The affairs of the Galaxy would make him miss out on no more of his own life, or that of his family's.

"Now _you,_ my sweet boy," Padme began as Anakin sank down onto the plush seat opposite her grand desk, "have a meeting with your tutor." Immediately, he sensed whatever flustered joy Luke took in being close to Motee die at his mother's words. Much like himself at that age, he'd rather be outside, playing and exploring… Not nose deep in datapads with lecture after lecture. Although, he doubted the boy had ever been subjected to anything as _punishing_ as a two standard hour long lesson on inner peace by Master Yoda. He almost shuddered at the memory.

" _No!"_ Luke whined, drawing an exasperated chuckle from Padme as she led him toward the very object of their son's affections… _Interesting._ At once the smothered nerves returned to his Force signature with a vengeance – accompanied by perhaps the largest, most smitten smile Anakin had ever seen on his little face. And the blush which painted his cheeks, Force knows it was impossible to ignore. _This,_ he was glad to see. First crushes and loves were important after all, his was the very angel who'd become his wife.

Something, he wasn't so sure was in the future for Luke and Motee, however.

"Motee, will you take him through please?" Padme asked softly, placing Luke's hand into the woman's and somehow, he managed to flush further only adding to his father's quiet amusement. Poor boy, subjected to holding the love of his short life's hand before his mother and father… What could be worse?

"Of course, my lady." The woman smiled politely and did as she was asked, gently leading Luke toward the large sliding doors they'd stepped into only minutes ago, and to his credit, he managed to fight the thrill of holding hands with Motee to look back at his father with a parting wave which Anakin was only too happy to return.

Once alone, Padme sighed softly, utterly content and swept past him, fingers reaching out to fondly caress the nape of his neck as she moved. As always, her touch sent shudders racing through the Jedi's body, from where her skin met his, all the way to the very tips of his fingers. Only she could ever have such an effect on him, no one compared to the brilliance of his wife – her integrity and spirit and kindness… Anakin simply desired no other, wanted nobody else and never would.

"So, how was flying really?" She asked as she leant back against her desk, hands braced by either side of her body and he didn't attempt to fight the joy such a question created, not even as it presented itself as a wide grin that rivalled that of his son's in Motee's presence. Even if his love of flying hadn't passed onto his son, he'd still cherish the time spent together because that was all he truly wanted – more than advancement within the Order, more than recognition or power – to be with his family. It was they, more than anything else, that fuelled the power he channelled in the heat of battles.

"It was… _Wonderful_! He really is a natural."

Her smile was as radiant as the twin suns of Tatooine setting, and as loving as he'd ever seen it. As always when greeted by such a sight the Jedi caught himself wondering, _why him?_ What could she see in him that was worth loving? He'd never find the courage to ask, and so such questions would remain unanswered for a lifetime. He didn't _need_ the answers, only the knowledge that indeed, she loved him above all others.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Rather than respond her amused, half-hearted question, Anakin instead let his eyes wander the length of his beloved, and wished for a moment that the evidence of the joy to come was not so carefully hidden away beneath layers of velvet. He'd always found her beautiful, even as a small slave boy hauled up in a too hot, sandy junkshop – she was the most beautiful creature he'd ever laid eyes upon then. She held that title still and forever would, the only competition being their son, and soon, their daughter. But their children's beauty as another kind, equally awing, but different.

"Senator," he drawled playfully and rose from the chair, "you are _so_ beautiful." Unable to resist even a standard second longer, Anakin leant his hands on either side of her, joining her own on the table as his lips brushed hungrily across her warming cheek. Beneath the touch, he felt her smile and lifted his hand of flesh to rest upon the curve of her stomach, where his child rested inside her. The pulse that greeted his palm was a sensation he'd never tire of, one he wished he'd gotten to experience more this time, as he had with Luke. It didn't matter though, he'd hold his little girl in his arms soon enough, and the sight of her sweet face as she squalled and whimpered would suffice in making up for the time he'd lost.

Padme's own delicate hand soon joined his own, and her smile was brighter than any star in all the Galaxy's systems. "Are you coming home tonight?" She breathed and despite himself, Anakin moved closer still and allowed his eyes to drift closed as he stole a short moment to simply revel in her presence.

"Yes." He spoke softly, enjoying the sweet perfume she'd sprayed onto her skin that morning… The very same one she'd worn on their wedding, and every time they were together since. Anakin swore sometimes he received phantom wafts of the cherished scent every now and again throughout lengthy separations, and so being granted a chance to experience it in reality was never taken for granted.

Her question had only one answer. There was nowhere he'd rather spend this night – or even this moment if he could be successful in persuading her away from her work. Alas, he was smarter than that, having learned from a rejection or two throughout their marriage. He'd manage to wait until tonight, somehow, in spite of his desire.

Perfect, small hands found themselves on his chest, stroking the cold leather of his black tabard as her smile faded into something else, calmer closer to the Senator than Padme. Then again, sometimes he wondered where one ended and the other began. "It means so much to him that you're here, Anakin. He missed you terribly."

"It means just the same to me." If not more… Luke at least had Padme every day while he was gone, and she him. When they were parted Anakin had only memories and a few secret holos hidden deep in Artoo's memory drives. And chances to steal a glance at those came rarely if he was lucky; privacy was in short supply while surrounded by his battalion and Obi-Wan.

"Soon, you'll have every day with him – with both of them." Her quiet oath prompts him back slightly, just enough to look down at her as something close to a smirk possessed his all too willing lips. Promises such as those were dangerous, too tantalising for weak man like him. She played with fire by tempting him so.

"Say that again, and I'll hunt down Grievous myself…" Anakin warned her lowly before capturing her lips feverishly and filled his palms with her slim waist. If she asked it of him, he'd leave her now and search day and night for the mechanical General before returning to her with the son of a Sith's head as a token of his love. And he'd complete the task _gladly_.

She'd never ask, however. He knew better than to hope she might grant permission for such an undertaking.

"You will not." Padme's sweet laugh fought back the progress of the rapidly settling in brooding she hated, how could he be unhappy, when she looked at him with such love and open devotion shining in her stunning eyes? He'd be a fool to look past that, just to sulk. "I think you'll find I have very different plans for you this evening, General Skywalker…"

Only a madman would ever want anything more than that.


	3. Chapter 3

"A girl!" A voice cried, tingling with a familiarity just beyond his comprehension. Through the haze of smoky mist, the picture before him grew clearer by the moment, revealing the face of his beloved, paler than normal… Too pale, almost sickly as sweat dampened her skin. He could see only her, nothing else; the mist would not fade enough to show him more, no matter how his eyes strained to see what was concealed behind its veil. The wail of an infant tore through the silence as twin tears spilled onto Padme's cheeks, quickly racing to drip off of her flesh and he focused on the trail left behind… What _was_ this? The birth, he realised with a cold shudder, the birth of his baby – his daughter… But _why_?

"Make it stop…" Padme whimpered weakly, her words almost unheard beneath the baby's cries, but he _did_ hear them _._ She spoke to someone beyond his sight, was it him? Perhaps another… One of the med-droids, a midwife? " _Please_!" She begged as the shrieking grew louder still and the warning alarms of unseen machines roared to life, "I – I _can't…"_ The blasting of the monitors startled the child into screaming more, her piercing howls grew worse and worse, fearful and – and _cold,_ she was afraid, frightened for her mother, connected through the Force and sensing something he could not and another scream joined hers, _Padme's._ She emitted a pained cry so loudly his ears rang but he could do nothing – she was too far away, he couldn't touch her or help her or –

Anakin surged upwards with a startled cry. Every inch of him was damp with a thin sheen of perspiration, if he bothered to check behind him, he'd probably find dampness clinging to the sheets and pillows he'd been resting on. _A dream_ … It was just a dream. And yet, to be sure, he glanced sharply to his left and found undiscovered heights of relief at the sight of Padme sleeping peacefully beside him, oblivious to his panic.

What he saw… It was terrible. Truly, _sickeningly,_ awful. The pain he'd sensed from her… And the baby! At once his panic returned tenfold as the memory of his child's wails rung in his ears and at once his heart begun it's racing once more. He had to check, to be _sure_ … He'd never calm himself without proof his youngling was alright, still safe and warm within her mother.

Careful not to wake her, the Jedi leant over his wife, for a moment bitter of her favourite sleeping position on her side, but he managed to rest his flesh hand upon her stomach without disturbing her and forced himself to concentrate. It took a few moments, but to his delighted relief, he sensed her… The little life force submerged within Padme's. She was _strong_ , and was _safe._ He lingered moments longer than necessary, revelling in the sensation of the joint Force signatures of his wife and baby because they were safe… They were both alright.

Satisfied, Anakin slipped out of bed, skin aflame suddenly, and didn't bother reaching for the sleep robe Padme had generously purchased for him so long ago. The cool air would do him a world of good. Perhaps it would even calm his racing heart. With the bedroom door left precariously open earlier, in the heat of sweet passion, his journey to the carpeted hallway was unhindered. He didn't want to wake Padme; she needed her rest, now more than ever with the baby so close to her arrival. As he passed Luke's doorway, Anakin could not resist the urge to check on his son too, even as his hands trembled as they pushed the silent announcer to demand entrance – the _very_ last thing he wanted to was wake Luke. He'd never get the boy back to bed if he did. The doors parted quickly, offering him the sight of his son practically unconscious, slumbering on his stomach with Artoo faithfully guarding the bedroom as he recharged, scanners working constantly to sense any danger as they lit the room in a blue hue.

The biggest problem was his son's problem of kicking blankets off. And Anakin had never been more relieved to see a bundle of fabric fallen to the floor. With one half-hearted wave of his hand, the comforter creeped back onto the bed and once more secured Luke in its warmth. Not wanting to disturb him, Anakin once more pressed the announcer to quietly close the doors again.

Everything was alright, and yet he could not shake the fear that plagued him… Something was wrong, he could _feel_ it. Perhaps the danger was not here this night but it was _coming_ , why else would the Force have granted him the dream? That was what his dreams were for! Never once had he been wrong, even in the slightest detail… Each time their accuracy was proven beyond what even Obi-wan could understand. Now it was happening again, it had to be a warning…

He found himself out, on the private veranda enjoyed by Padme only in the grand tower of Senatorial apartments and gingerly lowered himself down onto the solid arm of the couch, looking out at the never-ending skytraffic of Coruscant. The sight had always calmed him, even as a boy new to the planet, and its magic worked somewhat now, too as the cool air refreshed his overheated skin but nothing could fully soothe his mind right now. Only a second vision promising nothing of the last carried any truth would wipe away any of his worry. Until then, the panic was here to stay.

Unfortunately, he was not given time to _think_ , to ponder the dream in any detail before he felt her, his favourite of all Force signatures bloomed to life as she approached, awakened by his absence in bed despite his care to avoid just that. Moments later, he heard her soft padding as she entered the room, but remained where he was. She'd come to him, no need to meet her half way. In truth, he partly feared looking her in the eye… What if he saw it again? He wasn't sure he could stand seeing it again so soon, or hearing her pained cries while rendered useless in saving her.

"Ani?" She called quietly. By some mercy, his love had been born not sensitive to the Force, thus unable to sense what happened from his mind… He dreaded to imagine what might happen if she could sometimes… Especially tonight. How could he explain it to her? What could he say to reassure her when no such words came to mind to reassure himself?

So caught up in his thoughts, he did not sense her come close until a cool hand laid itself gently on the warmth of his back, jolting his mind back to the present. Her very touch sent a searing shudder tearing through his body. Somehow, he managed to swallow down his fear, his shock before forcing himself to look at her. It wasn't easy to meet her concerned gaze and harder still to drag an unwilling smile upon his downturned lips, but it was worth it. If it meant ridding her of any worry he'd caused, the effort was more than worth it.

"I couldn't sleep," he told her quietly, "go back to bed." She needed her sleep far more than he did, she and the baby needed their rest, especially if her charade was to continue. He knew what the pretence of not being so heavy with child did to her, body and mind, he'd seen it before with Luke, and he was seeing it again now, with this little one.

Her sigh told him she didn't believe his lie, so he looked away rather than speaking but this didn't deter her, but rather inspired her to simply move around him so there was no other choice but to look her in the eye. At once, he was rewarded by a flash of her pale, pale face as the pain racked her body… "What's wrong?" She whispered and he wished she could not read him quite so well. Just this once, he desired misunderstanding, if it meant she'd just go back to bed.

"It's nothing."

A hand rose to gently caress his cheek before smoothing his mused hair softly, as if her soft touch alone could draw his words out… The thought almost drew a smile to his lips. What worked with their son did not necessarily work for him, too. Instead of smiling, however, he stood up abruptly, and placed a few steps of space between them.

"Ani, talk to me…" _He couldn't_. His eyes closed tightly in resistance against the traitorous part of him that so wished to spill every detail to her, to tell her everything because he _couldn't_. It would be unfair to burden her with this. Once again, her scream tore its way through his mind and his knees shook with the effort to remain standing. To tell her what he saw would be cruel; it would only worry her as it haunted him. She knew well what his dreams were, and of their accuracy. She was there when he dreamt of… Of his mother. She saw how they became real then. To tell her they now centred around her in childbirth would be heartless, he'd only be placing _more_ stress upon her tired shoulders – there should be none there at all but she insisted upon working until the end. How could he add to that?

One glance over his shoulder at her worry stricken face told him he was failing already. So, with a sigh he admitted, "it was only a dream." That was enough; it was all she needed to know. Other beings had bad dreams all the time and they proved to be of no consequence. Why couldn't he, for this one night, be one of those people? Could she believe him tonight, or at the very least pretend to? That's what he needed her to do, because he knew it's what _she_ needed from him. It was for the best.

The moment the words left his mouth, she came closer, again placing one hand upon his back only this time she stroked his skin soothingly, and for a moment, _it helped._ Only for a moment. "A dream?" She whispered, "like the ones you had about your mother?" The sound of those words leaving the mouth of another, to hear them aloud, _stung_ , more than his tired soul would ever be ready to truly understand. He looked away sharply, attempting not to flinch, but failing miserably and understandingly as always, Padme waited.

"No," he lied, forcing himself to look her in the eye for the sake of convincing her to believe in what he said, "not like those."

* * *

He rose early when morning came, before dawn and long before Padme or Luke woke. After his dream, there was no hope of further rest, so he'd lain awake with his wife sleeping in his arms and let his mind wander. He needed help. And only one being came to mind for what he needed to know. With everyone, even Threepio, still sleeping, or powered down, it wasn't difficult to call for Artoo and sneak out of the apartment without being seen. Usually, when first light came and he was forced to creep out from the comfort of the apartment before anyone could see him there, it left Anakin feeling shamed, like a cheap one night stand, who had to be gone before the esteemed Senator rose from her bed. Not at all like the _husband_ he was.

Now, leaving the apartment with no witnesses felt necessary, it's what he _wanted_. If he lingered until Padme woke, the questioning he'd face would be worse than a Jedi interrogation… If she felt particularly curious, he'd have a full inquisition on his hands. Fortunately, a mix of tiredness and lies last night meant she'd settled easily with only his agreement to return to bed with her. He wouldn't be quite so lucky this morning.

In the early hours, the skytraffic was quieter than usual, filled with night revellers returning home as the clubs closed their doors, soon the sky would be full of speeders and cruisers of countless beings making their ways to jobs or schools or wherever else their day needed them to be. Anakin was glad of the peace… While not one to _strictly_ follow speed limits at any time of the day, fewer speeders meant less danger and less chance of bored local authorities attempting to reprimand a Jedi so as to retell the story with greater epicenes to their comrades later.

He really was not in the mood for mind tricks this morning.

It did not take long for Anakin to find himself sitting tensely on an uncomfortable cushioned stool opposite the greatest Master in the Jedi order… Master Yoda. The wisest of them all. No one's knowledge compared to his, and it was that which drew the Jedi to the Master's silent chambers. It was dangerous but unavoidable. A man with so few options could not turn his nose up at what the Force offered. If Yoda could not help him make sense of what he'd seen, then… Then, he'd rather not think about it. The temple was quiet this morning, most not yet risen from their beds or meditations but he was lucky, Master Yoda was available for him and for that, he was beyond what grateful could ever describe.

Careful, he had to be careful. Guard his mind; shield his memories beneath a wall of others, of moments where he'd been Jedi, not husband, warrior not father. _Those_ , Yoda could sense and all would be alright, but anything else risked his very existence here, within in the Order. Simply being here was to aim a blaster toward his head without knowledge of how much laser it had. Speaking to Yoda of what he'd seen was to pull the trigger.

There was only one way to know the ending.

"Help you seek, young Skywalker?" The Master spoke levelly and his gaze bored into him so much so that Anakin could not find the will to meet it, and instead kept his own locked firmly to his boots. The depth of his secrets felt like a bottomless pit of lies and deception and already keeping so much carefully shielded was draining, but he'd manage. He _had_ to. Exposing his true life was not why he'd come here.

"Yes," he admitted quietly and swallowed. What he was about to say, not only aloud, but to _Yoda_ of all beings… Until this very morning, the idea was unthinkable. Undoable. Mad. Whatever he could think of to describe it, fit. And yet, the Force had led him here. "I have a child." The confession risked _everything_ he and Padme had fought and sacrificed much for, but he needed help. This vision could not be allowed to bleed into reality, not again. He'd learned his lesson and learned it well; he would not make the same mistake twice. "It grows within its mother, but I dreamt…" Choking on his words as his wife's pained scream rang in his ears again, his eyes fell shut tightly. _How many times must he suffer this?!_ "I dreamt of pain, suffering and loss. I fear that – that it's like the others. The premonitions I've had in the past."

There was silence between the Jedi for long moments, and when, at last, Anakin summoned the courage to glance upwards, at the Master before him, to peek at his wrinkled face and perhaps gauge a reaction, all he saw was sage nodding. It wasn't exactly what he'd expected _exactly_ , but silence was preferable to immediate orders to hand over his lightsaber. It was something. And it was nothing. Far less than what he _needed_.

"Lost, the youngling was?" Yoda spoke at last, straight to the point and he battled the instinct to flinch. The possibility of losing his baby – his little girl – sickened him to his core. He'd lost so much already, how could he stand to lose her too?

"I don't know. I sense that… I sense that it is the mother whom the danger surrounds."

Yoda's piercing gaze narrowed as he leant forward, "close to you, the mother is?" This was it, from this moment onward, he risked _everything_. But this risk was well worth it if it meant he could learn how to save his family. He needed Padme. _Luke_ needed his mother… _That_ was why he'd come. For his family, his life, his hopes and dreams.

"Yes." He muttered guiltily, unable to stand Yoda's stare even a moment longer, his eyes returned to the floor. At least there was no judgement from there… Or no danger. No galaxy-altering danger at least, he supposed.

" _Careful_ you must be, Anakin…" The Master warned gravely, drawing his unwilling attention back despite the discomfort. "A great fear of loss, I sense in you. A path to the dark side, your attachments are." At those words, his jaw clenched tightly. He'd heard those words before, almost his entire life. But, his family were his light, their love was _good_ , it was pure and everlasting. Nothing could take it from him. How could that ever be something bad? How was he to believe what Yoda said, when his life – his _true_ life – conflicted such statements entirely? There must be _more_ to it, teachings the Order don't know – or – or that they're hiding… It didn't make sense otherwise, the _rules_ didn't work.

And yet, despite all that, Anakin muttered, "what must I do?"

One long, pointed nail at the end of Yoda's small green hand pointed at him accusingly, "train yourself to _let go_ of your attachments. Look away you must, should the youngling live. If it is the will of the Force to take the mother's life within itself once more, rejoice you should, mourn you should not."

At the Master's words, Anakin glanced away sharply, toward the slightly ajar blinds allowing slivers of bright light to filter into the cold chamber. Let go… Look away… He _cannot_ look away, not from Padme or his children, it was an impossibility. To ask such a thing of him was to ask him to cut open his chest and tear out his very heart. Deadly. Destructive. To lose them would be his undoing.

He would find another way.

* * *

It was only when he stepped out of Master Yoda's chamber, more exhausted than when he'd arrived, that he spied the time lit up on the chrono _._ He was supposed to be on the other side of the temple for Obi-wan's reports on the Outer-rim! _Kriff!_ He took off as quickly as he could; long cloak billowing violently behind his body as he soared through the hallowed halls, pushing his way past multiple beings on his way. This report had been scheduled for _days_ … Obi-wan was going to _kill_ him.

By the time Anakin reached the designated room, beings were already filing out, murmuring quietly to themselves and each other. He cursed outwardly, beneath his breath and still drew the shocked glare of one or two older Jedi, but their distaste for his choice of language went entirely ignored. He had better issues to worry about. When he managed to step down the staircase, he was treated to the sight of his former Master alone within the enclosed space, shaking his head. Far from the first time he'd seen such a thing. "You missed the report on the Outer-Rim-Sieges." Obi-wan muttered without any effort to disguising his irritation.

The room was lit by the dull glow of the holo of a planet and its surrounding moons, which one, he cared not. Anakin watched it collapse in on itself at the touch of a few buttons by Obi-wan. He hoped he had not missed anything _too_ important… His time with Master Yoda hadn't exactly proven itself very useful. "I'm sorry, something important held me up."

Just what was so important, Obi-wan couldn't know. Not now, not… Not ever. " _Dreams pass in time"_ , that was what he'd said about the last visions. The advice was almost worse than Yoda's! How could he go to his old friend again after that? No, he wouldn't understand.

Obi-wan attempted to explain what he missed, but in truth, not a single word of it reached the Jedi's ears. His mind was occupied already. Yoda said to let go was the answer, but it could not be. They were a family; they had to be together, always. Letting go could _cause_ the vision to happen, what if he was not there when… Anakin shuddered at the thought. No, there were other ways, there had to be. And he'd find them. He'd show them all _exactly_ what he was capable of!

At last, his friend pulled his mind back to reality as he reached up to pinch harshly at the bridge of his nose. Something Obi-wan only ever did when immensely stressed… Something was bothering him. "What's wrong?" He asked quietly and the older man looked at him tiredly for a moment.

"The Chancellor is expected to receive more executive powers from the Senate today." He sighed, but his words inspired only a frown from Anakin. How could that be a bad thing? The Chancellor was a wise and just man, he better than anyone else knew how to end this war. Being granted more powers could only speed up that conclusion.

"Well, this can only mean less political squabbling and more done to end the war. Isn't that a good thing?"

Obi-wan watched him for several moments, frowning harder than before. "The way you speak of politicians, Anakin, anyone would believe you loathed them."

A lazy smile crept upon his mouth. "There certainly are some that I do."

Obi-wan's inquisitive eyebrow raised suddenly as curiosity bloomed within his blue gaze. "You _are_ aware your clandestine wife too, is a politician?" He looked down at the floor yet again this morning, but this time, Anakin chuckled quietly. Yes, he was _quite_ aware of the fact. Padme would never let him forget it.

"Yes. But she, unlike many in the Senate, cares for the Galaxy and its people." Padme cared almost too much for the lives and sufferings of others far more than her own. She'd sacrificed much over the years further bills she believed could bring some _good_ into the Galaxy again. Even their last wedding anniversary had to be postponed for such a meeting. "Just like the Chancellor." He added as an afterthought.

At his words, Obi-wan's eyes narrowed suspiciously, as if what he said was anything but the truth. "It is well known Padme and Palpatine's relationship has grown strained of late due to their constant disagreements in the Senate." Yes, Anakin was aware of this most of all. He saw his wife's face when he spoke of his friend, had _seen_ her frustration when the Chancellor did not agree with her sentiments. It had become rather… Complicated to love them both. And yet, he did.

"She has her beliefs. I don't question them, even if sometimes I believe she can be misguided in her views." Obi-wan said nothing, not as he rounded the small table toward the same staircase he'd mere minutes ago almost flung himself down in his haste to get inside. There was something he wanted to say, he sensed it. So he remained quiet and merely followed behind the man.

At last, the words were freed alongside a warning glare. "Be careful of your friend Palpatine, Anakin."

"Why?" He demanded.

"One of his aides arrived just before my report began. He has requested your presence once again." They reached the top of the stairs and stepped outside, into the empty hallway and fell into a slow pace through the temple as they had done countless times before through the years. It felt different now, Obi-wan was tense, wound tightly. This was troubling him greatly.

"What for?" There must be something important for the Chancellor to send his aides to find him.

"They would not say," Obi-wan explained bitterly, "apparently the Chancellor's words are for your ears alone these days."

"That's unusual." He frowned. Beside him, his former mentor paused to look up at him, utterly vexed.

"Yes, it is. And it's making me feel uneasy." He sensed that from the man, it radiated off of him in distressing waves. However, the old man was worrying himself about nothing… He always was an over thinker, even about the littlest things. Anakin was sure there was not truly that much to the Chancellor's summons, they were friends after all. He probably wished for an update on the progress in the Outer-Rim…

Suddenly, he wished he'd actually made it in time for the report.

They walked in tense silence for long minutes, until at last the stress he sensed from Obi-wan cleared somewhat. Enough for more a civil conversation to make its way into his mind, at least. "How is young Luke? He must be happy to have you back."

Despite the dreams, despite Yoda's useless advice and the intense unease he sensed in his friend, Anakin grinned. Truly _grinned._ He loved being able to speak about his son to another, someone who was not Padme or Dorme or Artoo. He wanted to boast about his boy to all who'd listen. Soon, there'd be time for that, he was sure.

"He's well. Padme tells me he excels in his studies where he puts his mind to it. But, truthfully, I'm probably gladder to have him than the other way around." Beside him, Obi-wan chuckled fondly. He knew well how he cared about Luke, even if he'd deny it if asked. And Luke positively adored the man… Even if he enjoyed their little challenge in pranking him most of all. As it stood, Luke was in the lead after levitating a bucket of 'fresher water above a doorway to drop it onto the Jedi as he stepped inside.

Brilliance.

"Have you seen much of him?"

Not nearly enough. "We went flying. He's taken to it well."

Obi-Wan glanced at him nervously. "If he's anything like you, Force help us all!"

As they reached the hangar, Anakin hesitated, lingering in the spot for a moment. Something had to be said… To ensure their disagreement had not left any resentful feelings in its wake. "You should visit soon," he spoke warmly and _meant_ it. Luke and Padme both enjoyed Obi-wan's infrequent stop-ins. And… As did he. Immensely. "Luke always loves it when you come around."

"As do I…" Obi-wan admitted with a smile beneath his beard. "When there are no stashes of water awaiting my arrival, that is."

"Well, he wanted to use oil, but Artoo and Threepio threw a joint fit."

"For that, I'm very grateful."

"Obi-wan… There's…" He faltered. Should he tell him of the news? He _wanted_ to, desperately. Such joyous information should be spread far and wide so everyone could enjoy it with them. Alas, there were very few options for revellers. So, he'd take them where he could. "Padme's pregnant again."

His eyes widened in shock, as expected, and there was no stopping Anakin's smile once more. That was what his children did for him, made him happier than he'd ever thought possible before they came along. Nothing compared. "I – well, you both must be very happy." Obi-wan stuttered.

"We are." He nodded. Ecstatically so. Padme's angelic face flashed before his mind again, pale and weak as she whimpered painfully and the sight killed his smile. _Couldn't he have even a moment's peace?_

"Living the life you do with two children will be much more difficult." Obi-wan cautioned, and he nodded. There was no denying the truth of that. But it was alright, none of them would have to suffer the deception for much longer.

"Only until the war ends. And then they'll be mine in name and blood." He relished the thought, that sooner than later the Galaxy would know Luke Amidala was truly Luke _Skywalker…_ That his daughter would know no other name but his – _hers._ It was so close, just beyond his reach but it was coming. And he waited with baited breath.

"You know what you risk by revealing that information, Anakin…" The warning in his voice was clear, and he understood it well. How many times had Padme given him the same speech, on duties and responsibilities… On the _risk_ honesty brought. He knew what the truth might do, but he was prepared. He'd been prepared for it from the very start. Now, at last, the Galaxy seemed to be catching up.

"I do."

"Well then," Obi-wan reached up to touch his shoulders fondly, eyes sparkling with the joy he wanted him to feel. "I'm _very_ happy for you. And Padme." To hear those words leave his mouth… It meant more than Anakin could hope to explain. Having his Master's approval for the life he led, to do what made him _happy,_ despite breaking the code, was everything. He was extraordinarily fortunate.

"Thank you…" He smiled at the man who'd been his Master, his only friend for many years, his father, his brother… And he treasured this moment, now and forever. But, alas, moments were fleeting. Within an eyelid's blink, their postures returned to normality and Anakin nodded politely. There was work to do, after all, no time for meaningful talks when the Chancellor was expecting his arrival. "I should go see what the Chancellor needs me for."

"Yes," Obi-wan agreed. "You should. But remember what I told you Anakin… Be _careful._ "

"Of course, Master." He nodded respectfully and turned on his heel to seek out his Starfighter. "When am I not?" Unable to resist, he called the words over his shoulder and delighted in the flicker of annoyance he sensed from Obi-wan's retreating form.


	4. Chapter 4

In all honesty, Anakin wished that the Chancellor would divulge his reasoning for his invitation a little quicker… One glance at the chronometer high on the wall told the Jedi he'd been here for over thirty standard minutes now, enduring casual talk of the goings on in the Galaxy. Surely, whatever it was he was needed for was important enough to skip the small talk? Alas, the Chancellor seemed not to agree, so Anakin listened politely to the tales of Senator's scandals. At the very least, while here, he could sense his wife… As usual, her presence, however distant, was a calming caress within his mind. Tuning out the words of his friend, he drank Padme in, revelling in her Force signature… If he concentrated enough, he could almost _see_ her behind his eyes… She'd chosen a gown of burgundy this morning… He'd always liked that one on her… But that was all he was offered, her lovely face was denied to him. Not for much longer, he supposed, when this meeting with the Chancellor reached its end, he could sneak into her office… The security cameras were easy to shut off for a standard hour or two.

"I would like to think I have your trust, Anakin." The Chancellor's words drew him from thoughts of his wife and back to the reality of the moment; whatever happened later was not as important as whatever this summons was truly about. He had to focus. Thank the Force the Chancellor was no Jedi, if he could sense where Anakin's thoughts had just been… Well, it was hardly professional. But the man's question rang in his mind for a moment before any answer came along. Trust… That was a word he heard little of these days. Who did he trust? Certainly not most politicians, with the exception of his beloved of course. But the Chancellor was different, he was more than a politician, he didn't fight for what he _wanted,_ he was a leader, a man who knew how to guide the Galaxy back to the safety of peace. No one else was better for the job. Was that trust? Anakin had faith in the man, a greater faith than he held in many… He believed in him, in his policies and decisions. And personally… Palpatine was like another mentor, outside of the Order. He'd always shown a great interest in him as a boy and offered much-needed advice more often than not. And he knew about Dooku.

"Of course." He answered honestly. He trusted very few, but the Chancellor was undeniably among their ranks. Still, it was an odd question… Surely he was not brought here for reaffirming trust for one another. There had to be something more, something he was building up to. Obi-wan wouldn't like this at all.

By his side, the Chancellor's thin lips curved upwards into a tight smile. "Good, good… I'm glad to hear that, for I hold a great trust in you, my boy. Enough to safeguard your secrets from the Galaxy." His secrets? Anakin had a great many secrets, but none that Palpatine would know of. He was more careful than that, not even his friend could know… Even if he'd _wanted_ to tell him a hundred times over, Padme made him promise to keep it between them and those who knew already and an oath to his wife was unbreakable no matter the temptation.

The smile turned fond, amused even as a pale wrinkled hand rose up to clap the Jedi's shoulder affectionately, as an elder uncle would to his young nephew. "No need to be so on guard with me, Anakin. I know all about your marriage. And your son." He reeled where he stood, for a moment unable to see beyond the shocked blurring of the Chancellor's face… _He knew_? It wasn't possible, he'd never uttered a word of it, nor had Padme… How could he know? _Who told him_? As if hearing his thoughts, the man chuckled and laced the fingers of both hands together by his stomach, a common pose for Senators, he'd noticed. "One of Senator Amidala's guards came to me some years ago, he'd witnessed the two of you together, not long after little Luke's birth." One of her guards? The people she trusted with her very life had… He should storm his way to her office now and interrogate every one of them until he found the snake who betrayed them so underhandedly.

"Who?" Anakin demanded through grit teeth.

Without a single moment's hesitation, Palpatine responded, "Captain Panaka. He'd hoped to exchange the information for some favour of sorts. But, when he received none, he threatened to sell your secrets to the Holonet reporters." He can't believe it… _Panaka_ … He'd known the man since he was nine years old; he'd protected Padme since she was Naboo's Queen! He'd always seemed to loyal to both Naboo and its Senator. Their secrets were dangerously close to exposure, the life they'd worked so hard to create together was on the verge of destruction and he'd had no idea! Why hadn't he sensed the betrayal?

"What stopped him?" A payoff perhaps? Threats? Whatever the Chancellor did, worked. No one outside of those they trust knew anything about their marriage or his being Luke's father. Something must have quietened Panaka's treasonous mouth.

Palpatine looked him in the eye and without blinking, declared, "I had him killed." His face remained emotionless, with no sign of regret or – or _anything_ at such an admission. And Anakin's knees shook suddenly, holding up his own weight felt near impossible for a moment. _Killed_? But that – that wasn't possible! Padme told him Panaka retired home to Naboo; he'd made his money in some way or another and left… He couldn't have been… _Somebody_ would have noticed! Reaching up, the Jedi pinched harshly at the bridge of his nose as a wave of overwhelming exhaustion washed over his unprepared body… What more would this day bring him? First the dream and now this?

" _Killed_?" He repeated, "but that's – how…"

"Anyone you cannot trust, Anakin, is an enemy. You'd do well to remember that." Palpatine warned, but he hardly listened. A man was dead and nobody cared… How could no one have noticed, or worried? Was it truly that easy to simply erase someone from life while the Galaxy looked away? His own hands were far from clear of blood, this war had seen to that, but he fought in battles, death was expected… He'd never just – just gotten rid of someone whose intentions were less than pure.

The Chancellor moved ahead, stepping slowly and for a moment, Anakin merely watched the man's back and considered walking straight out of this office and to his wife's instead. Padme would know what to do; she was always the pragmatic one between them. But he did not move. Beneath the shock and the horror… He knew, he _understood._ What Palpatine did, it was for him… To keep his family safe. And it had worked, hadn't it? His family life had gone unexposed and everything was alright… Because Panaka died. He should be _thankful,_ not aghast. This only further proved the Chancellor's loyalty, to he and Padme both.

With that in mind, Anakin took the few short strides to catch up with the man so they once more were side by side, shoulder to shoulder. Silence overruled any thought of speaking, so he simply let the earlier elevation make its peace within his mind. Panaka's death meant his family were safe, and he could not be sorry for that. His own treachery had sealed his fate and for that, no fault could be placed on Palpatine's shoulders.

"Now, for the reason, I requested your presence here." Finally… More and more Anakin desired to run through the building and into the arms of his wife, locking the door behind him… For the day. Nothing appealed to him more, except perhaps if they could send for Luke and make it official. Just the three of them, no politics, no interruptions… Just them. Simplistic, perhaps, but it was his definition of perfect. Still, he could not say he was not curious about the Chancellor's intentions, especially after Obi-wan's brooding. So he merely nodded and waited, attempting for once, to practice patience. "I need your help, son."

"Help with what exactly?" Their slow walk around the luxurious expanse of the office came to its conclusion as they returned to the grand desk situated perfectly before the large, wall-length transparisteel windows which boasted an eye-watering view of Coruscant. He remembered seeing it for the first time, as just a boy… If he remembered correctly, Padme and Palpatine had been discussing politics while he played with the model speeder he was given… The memory brought a nostalgic smile to Anakin's mouth. Nothing had truly changed at all, had it?

"These are dangerous times. I need eyes and ears within the Jedi Order. I must know what happens in the council's secretive meetings, especially when it involves the war effort, so I have decided to appoint you to the council myself, where you shall serve as my personal representative." The smile the Chancellor graced him with was _proud_ , and warm and Anakin almost stumbled backwards. The council? He was to be appointed to _the council_? But that only meant one thing, to be a member of the council meant Mastery within the Force, something he'd _longed_ for… All Jedi long for such an achievement! And – and the Chancellor wished to grant that to him, now?

"You – you have that power?" How was it possible? Only those already within the council's ranks had a vote on who joined them, that is how it had always been and he could not imagine the Masters would be happy about changing that way. But if the Chancellor had the right to choose – to choose _him_ – then they could not deny him that right and Anakin would… It was his _dream_ … The thrill of all he'd wanted being thrown at last into his waiting arms sent a powerful, thrilling shudder racing through the Jedi's body.

"Oh, yes. And I have selected you above all others… I see your potential. And I want to help it grow, to see you become _everything_ you're supposed to be." The pride in Palpatine's eyes shifted; there was something else, something more… Almost gleeful as he spoke. How long had been thinking of this? It must have been on his mind for a while, no wonder he sensed excitement from the man. Anakin was excited too – more than excited, he was… What words were there to truly convey it? None. Not in any language.

"I – I'm overwhelmed… You honour me, Chancellor." He could scarcely _breathe_ through the excitement; oh he longed for the moment the rank was truly settled upon his shoulders, undeniable, done so justly that none could ever take it away from him… _Master Skywalker_ … That's what they'd call him. He could not wait to tell Luke, he'd be so excited! His father, a Jedi _Master_ … Wasn't that something to be proud of? He'd done himself, his wife and son proud by earning this, the Chancellor's choice, his faith and this place he was to be given within the Order. He'd worked for it, bled for it, sacrificed much and now, at last… His reward had come.

"It is no less than you deserve, my boy. Remember that. You deserve this and much, much more for all you have accomplished in this war." This was what it felt like… A feeling he'd almost forgotten in the years without its touch. The pride of a parent, or at least, a parental figure. His mother's proud grin was forever burned into his mind, along with the searing agony which followed the memory but beyond that pain, the way her pride made him feel… Nothing. He remembered nothing of it. Until now. Until Palpatine reawakened it and for a moment, something close to tears stung the Jedi's eyes.

Xox

When all was done within the Chancellor's office, Anakin rushed quickly through the wide halls of the building, purposely avoiding all those who may wish to speak with him, to congratulate him once more upon his victorious rescue of the Republic's beloved leader… He was in no mood for such praise now. It was not their praise he desired, there was only one whose pride he wished to revel within now. If there was another being inside her office, he'd happily guide them out under the guise of a political ' _emergency'_ … Or throw them from the nearest window. Whatever worked quickest. He should he returning to the Temple immediately, to inform Obi-wan and the council of the Chancellor's decision, but above all else, Padme had no know first. She was the one whose reaction he craved most, with their son coming a close second… But Anakin could already see that response in his mind, clear as the redrobes lining the walls before him… There would be excitement and bouncing and a thousand questions without time to breathe in between.

He could not wait.

More than once through the years, as this war has stretched on, Anakin had been willing – more than willing sometimes, eager could have been the correct word – to throw his lightsaber away and turn his back on the Order. There had always battled within him, a fire for the Jedi and the Order, a thirst for adventure and glory that could be found few other places and a desire for a quieter life, a simpler existence with his family somewhere hidden from the dramas of the Galaxy. Which life he wanted shifted, depending on the day, the circumstances and how long he'd been separated from his wife and son. Now, right now, the lust in his veins burned for promotion within the Order and little could tame it. He coveted acceptance… Had done for a very long time. The other younglings looked down upon him throughout their training, " _slave boy"_ they called him as they refuted Qui-gon's faith in his destiny as the Chosen One. And now look at him! The youngest Jedi ever Knighted! And soon, he'd be the youngest Master appointed to the council…

He cared little for whatever cruelties they'd whispered behind his back over the years… Let them hate him, envy him, whatever else. Look at all he'd achieved, all he'd become... The hero of the Clone Wars, that's what the public saw him as, the poster boy… Well, that part was slightly less than desirable. _The Hero with No Fear_ , the title the Holonet had knighted him with. He had glory in spades, but not the _right_ kind, not the kind he wanted. Such titles… They were ironic at best, untrue in every way. Was he a hero? Perhaps. A soldier who did his duty? Absolutely. Out in the field, beside his troops, Anakin was no more and no less than anyone else, he was a warrior, an equal with the men he fought beside. They were _all_ heroes. And he _did_ have fear… Much fear. The weight of it upon his shoulders was crippling more often than not… To be without fear… He'd never known such a feeling, not even as a child. For Anakin Skywalker, there was no such thing as innocence or purity. Slaves lose their innocence in the cradle. He'd seen so much at such a young age, feared for his mother every day and night once he'd seen what happened to slave woman who fell into the hands of the wrong masters. There was always fear, but not of unsightly monsters beneath his bed, no… Anakin had always feared the realities of this Galaxy; because he'd known them all too well from the moment his eyes first blinked open. At just four years old, half-starved, he'd stolen a piece of fruit from Watto's desk – what kind, now escaped him, but he'd taken the worst beating the slimy piece of filth could give and never cried out once. Not aloud, at least. There was plenty to fear in this universe and fear it he did. Now more than ever, now he loved what he should not, he feared something would take them away from him, his wife, his Padme, his soulmate… And his son, his beloved little boy… What would ever become of Anakin if they were taken from him? Now, he had a new baby coming along, his precious little girl and… And the dreams were warning him something was going to happen, that fate would attempt to steal what he loved most. Was he afraid? Yes. Terrified. Every inch of his body was full to the brim with fear, more so than ever before… So, such unearned titles, _Hero with No Fear_ , felt like less of an endearment to his ears and more like a cruel joke, as if every being across the Republic were mocking his fear, together in whispers he could never stop.

When he found a way to keep his dreams from becoming real, he'd stop the laughing, forever. He swore it to the Force itself.

By some mercy, when he reached Padme's office, she was alone, working quietly behind her desk and for a moment, entirely unaware of his presence. The way she surrounded herself with her work, tuning all else out was admirable, but he needed her out of the political haze. Now. This was their time, everything else could wait. Clearing his throat, the Jedi waited, and smirked as her pretty head snapped upward to look at him by the doorway as his gloved hand reached down to lock the door. No interruptions. Not now.

"Anakin?" She stood with slightly more effort than usual, "what are you doing here?" That she did not mention his absence this morning or what happened last night, was a second mercy – a miracle of the Force really, but he was not ungrateful for it. The moment she made her way around the desk, Anakin was on her, practically pouncing across the room to gather her into his arms as the elation begun to truly set in. Soon her husband would be a Master Jedi… He wanted so much for her to be proud of him, as his own pride in her never faltered. Unable to resist, the Jedi spun her around, drawing a playful squeal from her surprised lips. "Ani!" She giggled into his shoulder, "anyone could come in here!" Let them! Master Yoda himself could hobble in here right now and his presence would do nothing to sour his mood! With that in mind, he carefully lowered Padme to her feet once more and bent to capture her lips ravenously with his own. If it were not for the dream, these past days would have been filled with nothing but _joy_ … And for one blessed eternity, Anakin chose to forget his fear and _live._ Just for now, just for one moment. He was happy.

When he pulled back, leaving her chest heaving for the air he so greedily kissed out of her body, Anakin grinned down at her, cupping her angelic face with his flesh hand. "I'm to be given a seat on the council. They're making me a Master, Padme!" Saying those words, out loud, to her of all people made his heart soar… He could _fly_ with such joy thrumming through his body.

"Oh, Anakin!" She gasped eyes wide with delighted surprise. "I'm so proud of you!" And then it was she who threw herself into his embrace, arms wrapped tight around his neck as their bodies collided as best they could given her condition, and he was glad to receive her. _This_ was what he wanted, both his passions coming together, and blending well… Couldn't it always be like this? She pulled back too quickly for his tastes, but reached up to stroke both cheeks with delicate hands, "did Obi-wan tell you the news?" Her thinking such a thing was understandable, he too, had always imaged it would be his former Master who welcomed him into the rank of Mastery as he had Knighthood, but it mattered not. His other mentor had taken that role now and ushered him into his new position with the utmost of respect and pride.

"No, the Chancellor." Where he expected another happy smile and perhaps more congratulatory kisses, there was only surprise and something darker that clouded her beautiful face, especially as her hands slipped away from him and back to her sides. What now? She was excited for him a moment ago…

"The Chancellor?" She repeated, eyes narrowing as she frowned. Perhaps she just needs to understand what this meant, for him and the Order. These were new times, confusion was to be expected after change, he himself hadn't been aware of Palpatine's power to raise him up. Yes, she just needed him to clarify, and then she'd be happy again.

"Yes. He has chosen to appoint me to the council as his personal representative." Once more, he watched her expectantly, waiting for her smile to reappear, to feel her arms around him in another embrace but there was nothing. No joy, no pride… it was all gone. If anything, Padme's face fell, as if… Disappointed, somehow. But that wasn't possible. It couldn't be.

" _Oh_." She spoke quietly, barely a whisper as her body turned away from him, taking a few steps toward her transparisteel windows for a moment. What was going on? Had he missed something that ruined the moment?

"What's wrong?" Shouldn't she be happy for him? This was a great honour, he'd been selected above all others, this proved without a doubt that he held the Chancellor's trust! There were few in the Republic who would not kill for such a position… And yet, she didn't seem to be happy for him. _Why_?

With a shake of her head, she turned back to face him. "Don't you think it's a little odd that the Chancellor would offer you such a promotion without the agreement of the council?" It was unheard of, yes, because it had never been done before. And that was a good thing… Change within the Order meant there was hope, for them – that perhaps when the time came, he would not be expelled… That he could remould the Jedi until they were suited for his son to join their ranks one day, so he could have his family and his passion. Change was good; it was what they both wanted… Wasn't it?

"He has the power to appoint me to the council and he chose to do it. He trusts me." That was everything, trust was hard to come by, now more than ever and especially for Anakin. If the Chancellor trusted him enough for such an important role, why could she not be happy with that? Wasn't his appointment enough for joy without question?

"I know that means a great deal to you, but –"

"You aren't happy for me." She'd made that abundantly clear… He should have returned to the Temple and avoided all of this. To think there'd be no questioning the Chancellor's motives was naive, he should have known better. But he'd been so excited that he thought that maybe, just maybe, she may think he deserved this too. He was wrong, it seems.

"Of course, I'm happy for you! But I just think you should be wary of Palpatine, Anakin. He's been taking a lot of power from the Senate lately, powers no Chancellor in the past has ever _dreamed_ of having. There are many who believe that when the war is over, he should step down and an emergency election he held immediately to ensure he's replaced." What? That's preposterous! How could they want a man who has guided them through the worst times the Republic has seen in a millennia to step away from his position? Palpatine was a great man, a wise man; he loved his Galaxy and wanted what was best for it. If Anakin could see that, why couldn't others?

"Do you?" He asked with narrowed eyes? "Do you believe that?" Padme and the Chancellor had not seen eye to eye of late, but that did not mean she'd be so foolish as to stand with these naysayers. She was smarter than that, _surely_!

Her answer came, with a sharp glance away. "Yes, I do." He sensed her passion behind the answer… She did not simply stand by those who said such things, she was _one_ of them. _Padme…_ He moaned within his head. _What are you getting yourself into?_

"The Chancellor wants an end to this war just as much as you or I. He knows what's best for the Galaxy." Anakin reached out for her, but Padme merely shook her head again and sighed. He was beginning to believe they'd never find mutual ground where the Chancellor was concerned.

"He knows what's best for _himself_." She muttered bitterly, and he sighed, retracting his arm. Well, that was that, wasn't it? What more could he say, or do? She had her beliefs and it seemed he could not open her eyes to the truth of the matter beyond her own prejudices.

"I have to return to the Temple." He snarled, slightly louder than intended if Padme's flinch was anything to go by, and turned on his heel toward the door while part of him wished for her to call his name, to bring him back into her arms say they could forget all of this and just enjoy these stolen moments. Nothing else mattered but that; he'd forget it all if it meant peace between them.

But peace, it seemed, was not for them today, for Padme let him leave without a word.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Sorry it's been a while since I updated! But to make up for that, here is super long chapter. Also, I just want everyone to remember, we're still in the beginnings of this story, the slow burn part… But things are heating up there is much drama ahead…**_

Silence.

In response to the information he'd given them, the Chancellor's request for his appointment to the council, Anakin expected something more… Something… Well, _anything_. Despite he and Padme's earlier disagreement; every inch of the Jedi's body buzzed with a previously unfelt excitement. He'd _never_ been this thrilled before, not about his advancement within the Order, at least. The frenzy of elation whirling inside of him far outweighed what he'd felt throughout his Knighting ceremony. That had been merely the first step into his becoming a true Jedi, a _man,_ worthy of the rank, of his wife and the leadership role in the war. Now, to be honoured with the title of Master, to climb to the highest of ranks with the tender hoist of his friend's recommendation… It was what he'd wanted secretly, privately; for so long that even now, after it had been voiced to the Council themselves, Anakin could scarcely believe it had come at last.

There were some he did not delude himself into thinking would be happy to welcome him among their ranks, but other's like Obi-wan would be delighted for him, to have his opinions join theirs in the Council sessions, to grant him the rank with smiles. It would take some time, but he _knew_ that those who hesitated would come to trust him, to admire him… He only needed a chance. And the Chancellor had granted him that chance to prove himself, to change _everything_ from the inside out. He'd carve out a better Order, piece by piece. An Order that his son could be proud to join one day, and his daughter too, if she wished it. An Order where the truth of attachments was understood and encouraged not shied away from and feared. _That_ was the Jedi Order Anakin wished to work within, and he would bring it to fruition.

His eyes swept across the chamber as the silence endured, longer than he expected, longer than necessary and the lack of words begun to feel uncomfortable. Some avoided his eye; others met his gaze impassively, without even the slightest flicker of emotion to warm their cool exteriors. Even Obi-wan kept his own eyes firmly upon Master Yoda's wrinkled old face. One stare met his own without hesitation, without emotion and yet Anakin sensed what the Jedi attempted to hide beneath thick walls of cool detachment. Master Windu had never liked him, even from the start when he'd been a frightened former slave boy, far from home who'd missed his mother. That dislike had lingered over the years, festering though he'd done nothing to warrant it. He sensed it now, the dislike, the distrust… Was he even bothering to attempt to hide it? Anakin wasn't so sure. Windu's cold glare pierced through the Knight as his eyes narrowed and his limbs tensed as he leant forward in the circular chair.

"No." The dark skinned man announced without even a look around to his fellow Masters. _No?_ Anakin felt every inch of himself slacken as disbelief coursed through his body, diluting his excitement into nothingness. He didn't say no… He'd misheard, surely? No… _No._ What did he mean _no_?

A loud _thump_ drew the Jedi's attention to the great but small Master Yoda as the base of his gimer stick collided sharply with the pristine floor. "Allow this appointment, the Council cannot." He declared with a low voice, croaky after hundreds of years of life, "allow Chancellor Palpatine the right to choose our members, we _will_ not!" He couldn't believe the words leaving their mouths… How could they say such things? Someone _had_ to think this too – anyone with even the slightest _hint_ of decency would understand what they said wasn't right… But still, no one met his eye. They looked one way or the other, up or down or even at the Master's who'd just spoken to avoid him. Obi-wan's never left Master Yoda.

One short look was exchanged between Windu and Yoda before the human man's cold eyes trailed the length of Anakin and he _swore_ something akin to smugness took light within them for a mere moment, the littlest flash of enjoyment before it was smothered once more. But Anakin saw it. He _saw_ it. "We do not grant you the rank of Master." He spoke clearly, without fumbling or stuttering, as if rehearsed, as if he'd _known_ to say this and had perfected the words to further Anakin's shame.

Both hands fell limply by his sides in shock… They refused. They rejected him! How could they do this? It was disrespectful, not only to him but to the Chancellor! They'd humiliated him, and by proxy the Chancellor with only a few short words spoken by merely two members. _Two._ There'd been no discussion, no debate or – or even _consideration._ Just exclusion.

" _What_?" The word fled his lips before he could think of stopping it. The shock was too great; he had little control over what happened now. As if in challenge, _daring_ him, Windu's chin rose defiantly and Anakin's blood sizzled with fury. Sharp teeth sank down into the inside of his cheek for a moment, to battle down the sudden urge to snarl and reach for his lightsaber. "The Chancellor has already decided! You can't just overrule him– or – or _humiliate_ me like this!"

Yoda shook his head gravely, almost calmly but he sensed a deep irritation within the Master at his words. He hid it better than Windu, but not quite well enough to prevent him from knowing such feelings existed. "On the Council, the Chancellor is _not_. Make our decisions for us, _you_ do not."

"This is unfair!" He barked as his hands curled into tight fists, hidden beneath the long sleeves of his cloak. "It – it's _outrageous_ – you're defying the Chancellor's will!" Who were they to dismiss the Chancellor's wishes? They had no right! Windu leant forward again, hard eyes narrowed even further than before, perhaps to hide the glow of disdain that danced within them, and lifted a single arm in a gesture to Anakin and then toward the doors behind him.

"Our business is concluded, young Skywalker."

This wasn't right, it _couldn't_ be right… Someone had to speak for him, to stand by him! Anakin's eyes flew to his former Master and his _friend_. Obi-wan knew him almost better than anyone else, he knew what he was capable of, he of all people had to realise that shunning him was wrong, that Anakin belonged here with everyone else. _He had too._ But there was no sympathy to be found in the man's eyes or a word of agreement. Just a slow, angry shake of his head, like a disappointed father, silently chastising his child.

They'd made their decision. To defy the Chancellor and spurn him with only a few quiet words. Fury tore through his body, warming his blood as the dragon's tail wrapped its scaly self around his heart and hissed wordlessly. He didn't need words to understand what it meant. He'd stood here in the face of this degradation long enough. A long, shaking breath hot with his ire fell from his mouth before Anakin turned and stormed out of the Council chamber without a single glance back over his shoulder.

Without stopping, the Jedi marched through the temple, allowing, not for the first time, his anger to guide him as he pushed past his fellow brethren grimly. The long tail squeezed at his heart as he paused in the middle of an empty hallway and grit his teeth as harsh pants left his mouth, chest heaving in their wake. He was angry… He hadn't been _this_ angry since… Since… What little control that remained in Anakin's grasp evaporated and the outrage took full control of his body as the _smug_ face of Windu flashed before his eyes and without a moment of hesitation, his black-gloved, cybernetic hand flew into the wall with a grunt of exertion. Where the durasteel met the wall, a large dent lay as proof of what he'd done, that the worst of him had melted into the best of him and for a long, blissfully guilt-free moment, Anakin didn't care.

Obi-wan found him later, as he leant with one forearm against the large transparisteel window, free of the heavy cloak weighing his body down as he searched for calmness amongst the rage of the storm. He'd been close, until the familiar Force signature filled his mind and what little composure he'd forced upon himself was buried by anger once more. How could he show his face here, after what just happened? How was Anakin supposed to look his wife in the eye tonight after telling her he'd be appointed to the Council? And his son! How could he tell his son the Jedi he glorified had humiliated his father? And worse than that, they chose to overrule the Chancellor! How could he tell him that?

The man stood behind him silently for a moment, and Anakin made no move to speak. If the old man was waiting for him to apologise, he may as well make himself comfortable, as it would be a very long wait. He'd done nothing wrong – but they _had_! They'd defied the Chancellor and rejected him needlessly, thoughtlessly. They were selfish! All of them!

"Oh, do calm down, Anakin." Obi-wan snapped at last. "Your behaviour in there resembled that of a child's!" His body whirled around to look at his so called friend with a molten glare. A child? _He_ was the child? But not the group of Masters who'd grown afraid to welcome anyone new into their playground – _chamber_? _That_ was childish!

"What they did was insulting!" Anakin growled, "they sent me away as if I'm _nothing_. How dare they?"

At first, the only response he received was the familiar roll of Obi-wan's eyes, and then, "you've grown too close to the Chancellor. It's dangerous and it worries several members of the Council, including myself." Not this again… Why was everyone so concerned about one of the few beings in the Galaxy who truly wished to guide the Republic back to peace once more? There were other, far more worrying threats to the Republic and the Senate than the Chancellor.

"He is a great man;" he spoke lowly, stepping toward Obi-wan, "which is more than can be said for any of them." He may have continued, but the look that came across the man's face was a familiar one, one of warning. _Don't say another word,_ _Anakin._ That's what it meant. He'd been on the receiving end of that look countless times as he'd grown up and though he wished it did not, it held a little power over him still and whatever words had been building in his throat, died.

"Acting like this does you no justice!" His voice grew lower too, almost a whisper to disguise his next words from any who may be close enough to overhear. "You are a _father_! Act like it! Be an _example_!" At once, his anger burst into a volcanic inferno – _how dare he speak of his fatherhood_! He was a far better example to his son than Obi-wan had _ever_ been to him! He knew when to reprimand and when to listen, to actually embrace his son when he needed it or simply because he _wanted_ to. Anakin understood Luke and worked to ensure that understanding went both ways – what had Obi-wan ever done to understand him as a boy?

"What would you know of being a father?" He sneered and brushed past the man as he paced away, teeth bared to all who dared look upon him as he tore through the wide hall toward the docking bay. There were options, he could return home, to his _true_ home, to his wife and child and bite down his fury for an evening of domestication, or he could simply fly. Soar through the air, looping and spinning through the traffic until one brave warden attempted to make chase… Yes… He'd fly. At least while flying, no one was there to attempt to pull him down.

* * *

The controlled heat of Coruscant's sun rose as morning swept across the urban planet, delicately tugging the blanket of night off the bodies of its people as most still slumbered in their beds. Some had risen already, the Jedi noted as his speeder flew through the gentle early morning traffic. This was by far the best time to travel, especially without the danger that was his former apprentice with the speed-lust. A trait, Obi-wan was entirely convinced, would one day bring about his end. Especially if the current young Skywalker was training with his father in the art of flying. _Force have mercy…_

The ship slowed to a halt by the luxuriously private veranda overlooking the business sector of Coruscant, and what a view it was. The sky had painted itself a beautiful blend of pinks and blues as the sun claimed its spot in the sky and for a moment, he was tempted to pause, to forget all else and close his eyes and connect to the Force. Any other time, and he would have, it was the perfect setting for a morning meditation session, and if he was truthful, he'd opted to skip that portion of his morning routine in order to arrive at the door of 500 Republica that much quicker. _The earlier he arrived the better his chances there was of catching Anakin._

However, as his speeder hovered in place, the domestic sight before him was lacking… Lovely as it was. Padme dawned merely in a long lavender nightgown and a darker shade of purple robe, sat comfortably on one of the twin sofas with little Luke by her side, datapad in hand as she read aloud to the boy. The Senator's state of dress, or actually, _undress_ , sent an uninvited wave of heat through the man's cheeks… It was not that any part of Obi-wan desired her body, but he simply it felt rude, wrong even to invade what was clearly an intimate moment between mother and son, a woman in her own home, comfortable enough to have not dressed yet. The unmistakable evidence of the child within her drew his eyes to the swell and his eyebrow arched. When Anakin had mentioned another child… Well, it made sense that Padme _would_ be so far along, but he supposed he'd just assumed it would be… That she would not be quite so close to delivering yet.

Perhaps this was one root of the stress his former Padawan felt? A life ruled by deception was certainly a difficult one under the best of circumstances, but to live such a way with two younglings? He could not imagine it was very easy, especially for someone as… Emotive as Anakin. Sometimes, when times like these rolled around, the Jedi Master's mind wandered to old wounds better thought of as healed, and he wondered if, perhaps Qui-gon would have been better for Anakin than he had been. His own former Master certainly did not live by the rules as strictly as Jedi were supposed to, and though he wished he could not say so, Obi-wan knew the life Anakin led would have more than likely have been easily supported by the man who'd been mentor to them both, however briefly on Anakin's part. _Would he approve of his acceptance of this?_ In truth, that question had been a large part in Obi-wan's decision to support them, and this marriage. He'd _known_ his duty as a Jedi, and that was to inform the Council and support their decision no matter the consequences, but as he'd lain awake that night, unable to sleep, he watched the night's stars and thought, what of his duty as a friend? As a _brother_?

This life made Anakin _happy_. It made him a better Jedi, as thoughts of love seemed to provide a focus for his mind that nothing else ever had. And with Qui-gon in mind, he'd _known_ the answer, the right path and followed what was clearly the will of the Force. It guided all things, even love itself. And if the Force had chosen Padme for Anakin, and he for her, who was Obi-wan to question that? He'd never regretted his decision, not for the smallest flicker of a moment… But of late… Nothing worked forever, and he feared the end of this life, this path drew closer and closer. What lay in wait for them at the end, he couldn't know.

"Obi-wan!" The childish cry tore him away from all thought but the familiar fondness that sprung to life whenever the mop of blonde hair came running his way. It didn't fail him now, especially as it had, truly, been quite a long while since he'd seen the boy last. The Skywalker genes made tall boys… The enthusiasm in the boy's leap from his mother's side was infectious it seemed, as Obi-wan, too, jumped from the cockpit of his ship and onto the veranda just in time for Luke to run into his waiting arms. He was so much like Anakin, that boy… In a certain light, looking at him felt like being with his father at that age all over again. It awoke something sentimental in the old Jedi, something almost nostalgic as he cradled the child close for a moment in a way he never had with Anakin. A mentor was not supposed to feel anything close to love for his Padawan, but Luke was not his Padawan… Of all the rules of the code that were broken by the boy's mere existence, this was not one of them.

While he returned the boy to the ground, Padme rose to her feet with a small groan and hastily tied the sash of the robe around her body as she approached with a welcoming smile. He expected no less, whenever such visits occurred with or without the presence of Anakin; he was always made to feel very welcome here, after all, he and Padme's friendship went just as far back as her relationship with the other Jedi did. "Obi-wan!" She reached upwards, offering a somewhat awkward embrace as the change in her body left little room for such things, yet they tried and he turned his face just slightly to leave a gentle kiss against her cheek. "How are you?"

"Quite well," he answered honestly but offered no details. How could anyone be anything more than simply well in times as trying as these? If she was curious, the mask of the Senator hid it well, and for that, he was very grateful. "I'm sorry for disturbing your morning." It wasn't likely that free time was easy for Padme to find these days with the Senate in such a messy situation, especially as the Chancellor planned to amend the constitution even further than he already had. It was shocking, no being in his position had ever claimed so much power over the Republic! No one should have so much power, it wasn't safe, nor was it right.

"Oh, you're not disturbing us. We're always glad to see you here."

Unable to wait a moment longer for his own turn, Luke tugged suddenly at Obi-wan's cloak and his gaze flicked down to the boy as he fought for attention. "Is my daddy coming too?" What? Anakin wasn't here? But he hadn't returned to the Temple all night, he'd naturally assumed this would be the only other place in Coruscant he'd have gone. Where else would he ever _want_ to be? The entire time they were deployed in battles, he'd moped and brooded about coming and home and now…

"He isn't here? I'd hoped to speak to him." A frown came upon her beautiful features and worry awoke deep in the pit of Obi-wan's stomach. There was usually very little that could keep Anakin away from here, sometimes even missions themselves failed to draw him from his wife's bed. And yet now… Where was he? Had something happened? No, he was sure beyond all reason that if something terrible ever happened to Anakin Skywalker, then he'd _know_ it, to his very bones, Obi-wan would know it.

Slowly, Padme's concerned gaze flickered lower to the son Anakin had given her and softly caressed his hair for a moment, "Luke, why don't you go find Motee? You – you need some breakfast and…" Her words failed her for a moment, as her breath caught in her throat from the worry he'd brought to her and Obi-wan couldn't have felt any guiltier. Perhaps he should not have come at all. Ever the politician, however, she caught herself and created a smile for the sake of her son, a smile that failed to reach her eyes entirely. Did Luke notice? He might have. The boy was skilled in Force empathy, Anakin had mentioned suspecting such things in the past, and Obi-wan wholly believed it.

Gone was the smile that lit up the boy's face, replaced by downturned lips and worry in his bright eyes. "Mommy what's wrong?" The small hands that had clung to his cloak reached now, for his mother's nightgown, fisting the no doubt expensive material while his little lip trembled. "Where's dad?"

"Oh, my love…" Padme cooed, bending as much as she could to haul the small boy into her arms suddenly and Obi-wan could not resist the urge to look away, such a moment felt too private, too intimate for his eyes, an outsider's eyes to look upon. "It's alright." She whispered, and the Jedi's eyes fell closed tightly. Alright? Things were far from _alright_ … Not only with Anakin but the entire Galaxy! A mother's comforting lie to a beloved son was understandable, yet Obi-wan wondered how she could stomach saying such a thing aloud.

"B-but you're upset!" Luke argued and the man's gaze was drawn back to the sad sight and fought not to shake his head.

"I'm not upset." She laughed through the beginnings of tears, "I'm just tired, Luke, I _promise_." He had to intervene, to simply stand here and watch felt wrong, cowardly even. So he stepped forward and reached for the boy, happy to relieve Padme of his weight and set him once more down to his feet. The longer he stayed, the more he'd pick up on his mother's emotions and then if he truly was like his father, there'd be no dropping the matter.

"Come now, young one. Go find our friend, Mottee and get some clothes on. We can't have you lazing around in your sleeping attire all day, can we?"

" _Okay…"_ The boy sighed, and after one last glance upward, at the pretend smile across his mother's mouth, he did as was told and walked toward the stairs to the left. Only once Obi-wan was sure that he'd gone, that there was no chance of the boy overhearing a word the adults may say, did he move forward again, as Padme wiped away any evidence of her upset and he sighed.

"You have no idea where he could be? We – we had something of a quarrel yesterday… I wanted to… I'd hoped that perhaps…"

"You argued?" One pale hand came to rest upon the swell of her stomach gently, "what about? His placement on the Council?"

So, Anakin _had_ told her about the Chancellor's request… Had that factored into his childish behaviour of yesterday? Even now, after everything, was he still so desperate to impress the woman before Obi-wan now? _Attachments._ _That was why the attachments were forbidden._ "Padme, the Chancellor's demand that Anakin join the Council was rejected."

The free hand which lay by her side flew upwards suddenly, to her mouth to stifle a gasp at his words. So Anakin definitely had not contacted Padme… She'd have known about that if he had. Interesting. "What? _No_ … He was so excited about it yesterday – so _proud_ of himself… Why didn't the Council agree?" As she spoke, the Senator returned to her earlier spot and lowered herself back down onto the couch and for that, Obi-wan was glad. She didn't need to strain herself just to speak with him, especially with the subject at hand.

With a long sigh, an old habit returned to him as a hand reached up to stroke the coarse hairs of his beard. "Anakin's friendship with the Chancellor is worrying. It seems the favour he's been shown of late comes with many strings, strings he himself may not even see yet."

She nodded. "Well, there at least, it seems we can agree…"

"I'm afraid that…" He trailed off, half unsure of what words might leave his lips, and half afraid that they would.

"That they're too close?" Padme suffered from no such issues and continued his words without a moment's pause. How long had she thought this? Did everyone see it but Anakin himself? He was curious for a moment, had she ever spoken of these concerns with him? Padme of all people was the least likely to draw out Anakin's anger… Love it seemed protected her from that.

"I'm worried about him, Padme. He's brooding constantly and quick to anger. I – wasn't sure if it was merely the Council's rejection that caused… Or if it was something else." Were there other issues? Martial problems? He doubted the latter. While his list of acquaintances did not include _many_ married couples, much less couples with who lived lives quite like the one Anakin and Padme did, those two were by the far the happiest he knew. The issues stemmed from elsewhere…

"Something's been bothering him. He's been having bad dreams again, but he won't tell me what they are… More and more he's shutting me out and I don't know what to do." Her voice cracked as tears collected in the corners of her eyes and Obi-wan sighed, falling gently into the seat beside her. The dreams… He wished he'd thought of it sooner. The last time Anakin dreamt of something ominous, he'd become distracted, tired and distant. It was the same situation now, only this time there were other factors at hand. Factors far more dangerous than any dream.

"Dreams pass in time, Padme, they always do. It is the Chancellor's influence that worries me."

* * *

The dim light of sunset filtered into the near empty Council chambers, high in the Jedi Temple as two Masters meditated in peace. Only, Windu's mind could not settle, every nerve in his body was alight with worry and dread, and each battled the other for dominance. His concentration was usually easily pointed in a single direction, but now it flicked quickly from one thought to the next. And they all centred around Skywalker and the Chancellor. Something between them wasn't right; though he could not place his finger upon what exactly. No other Jedi had ever been shown as much favour and friendship from a Chancellor as Skywalker had, not in the history of the Republic! And of all Jedi and all politicians, it _had_ to be those two…

"It's very dangerous to allow this friendship between Skywalker and the Chancellor to thrive." He spoke quietly, ignoring the beauty of the sky outside and instead focused his gaze firmly onto the Master before him, the wisest of them all. Master Yoda understood the issue as well as he did, perhaps he would have the answer which evaded his mind.

Slowly, the green, wrinkled eyelids of Master Yoda flickered open lazily to look upon him, "trust the boy, you do not?"

There was no hesitation before his answer, no moment to think or consider his feelings. "No." Skywalker was a great warrior and leader of the Clones but his faith ended there, in the battlefield. Anywhere else and someone would have to have grown mad to place true trust in the boy. Especially after today. There was no peace within him, no serenity. He bent the rules of the code to suit his whims and Mace could never respect him for it, no matter his achievements.

One short finger uncurled itself from Yoda's fist and pointed his way, "the Chosen One, the boy is." _The Chosen One…_ What was it he did not see in Skywalker that Qui-gon had? Mace had looked and looked through the years as the boy had grown into to manhood, and yet the heroic quality evaded his sight. He looked at Skywalker and saw a reckless, selfish and immature _boy_. If that was who the Force had chosen to bring balance to the Galaxy, then they were doomed. He simply could not believe that the Force would play such a cruel trick upon them all, to promise a great saviour and send them... It couldn't.

"Can we be so sure about the prophecy? Could it not have been misread? Misunderstood?" It must have, or they'd looked to the wrong child – something had led them along the wrong path, Skywalker would never bring balance to this Galaxy – Windu would be surprised if he'd even found balance within himself.

"Correct, Qui-gon was. The prophecy, the boy _will_ fulfil. Now, to Kashyyyk, I must go. Good relations with the Wookies, I have. Have faith, Master Windu. Will guide us all, the Force will." Yoda declared and Mace found his features twisting into a scowl… Have faith in Skywalker? It would be the very same thing as throwing oneself from the highest window of the Temple with the belief that the Force would make you fly. Anakin Skywalker would not guide anyone into flight… He feared it would be very much the opposite.

* * *

The Jedi climbed out of his Starfighter as the night's sky twinkled high above his head… It had grown dark early this evening, but that was preferable to the hard light of day. In daylight, he wasn't supposed to be here, where other beings could see him as he snuck in and out of the apartment of a high ranking Senator. _What would people say_? Anakin cared little about that, but Padme did. And their agreement stood, he could only come at night unless the circumstances were… Special. And perhaps he'd taken that agreement slightly too literally the past day or so…

After the Council humiliated him, the mere thought of returning here, to look both Padme and Luke in the eye after what had happened was been sickening. So he'd stayed away. He'd pulled the hood of his cloak high up, over his head and wondered into the nearest cantina. One drink turned into two and well, his memory didn't quite serve as well as usual after that. Having slept away the ache of his head and washed the stink of the sleazy place from his body, Anakin was, at last, home.

The sight that awaited him drew a much-needed smile upon his sullen mouth, Luke, entirely ignorant of his presence played with the model starships Anakin himself had made for him while Threepio kept watch. Every sound and motion Luke made reminded Anakin of himself at that age… How his mother scraped together every spare credit she could to purchase a small model for him to play with… The memory made his throat constrict slightly, even now. Strangely, it was through his own child, that he missed his mother most. And _by the Force,_ how he missed her…

"Oh! Master Anakin!" Threepio's cry drew the Jedi's eyes to the droid and his son's to him. He'd been away not even a full day, and yet Luke ran to him as if he'd been gone for months all over again. And who was Anakin to deny his son the embrace he wanted? He bent at the knees and waited with arms wide open for the inevitable blow of Luke's full body weight colliding into him, and collide it _did._ The force of the hug the boy threw onto him almost sent Anakin onto his back, but with a little scrambling, he caught himself and stood, keeping Luke clutched close. _He'd missed him_ … Luke had missed him… The realisation sent a wave of guilt washing through him and he held Luke that much closer in response.

As he brushed his lips across his son's cheek, Anakin heard the whirl of Threepio's joints as the droid approached. "Mistress Padme has been terribly worried! Should I inform her of your arrival?"

He'd worried her… That – that was wrong of him, he shouldn't have… _He should have come home._ Padme's worries should stretch only as far as whether the closet full of loose clothing would fit her new body, not whether or not he'd come back to her. He felt _terrible._ What if something had happened? What if the baby had come while he'd been in his cups? "No, Threepio, I'll find her myself." He owed her that much at least. And a rather large apology.

The droid gave as close to a nod as he'd been built to accomplish and turned away as Artoo rolled across the room. Let those two catch up… Anakin needed a few minutes with his son above anything else, even Padme. Just for now. "Why didn't you come back?" Luke muttered into his neck, and he sighed. What could he tell him? That the Council's choice had stung, that he'd been embarrassed… That he just couldn't face his family afterwards?

"I'm sorry… I was busy." It was a pathetic excuse, one that wouldn't have a hope in Sith hell at believability if it was spoken to anyone else. Fortunately, Luke was young and willing to believe everything he said. How much longer would Anakin be afforded such a right, especially if something like this were to ever happen again?

Luke threw his head back to look Anakin in the eye as obvious excitement burst to life within the blue hues he'd given to him. "Is the war over?!" The question was so innocent, so sweetly naive that somehow, it drew an unexpected bark of laughter from his throat. If only… If only… Soon, the war would be over soon. That is what he'd told Luke, and it was what he told himself, over and over.

"Not yet, but soon. As soon of General Grievous comes out of hiding –"

"You'll get him!" Luke cried, narrowing his eyes in playful excitement. His son had such faith him – such _blind_ faith. If only others around them shared even a scrap of such faith, then they'd see that he more than deserved a seat on the High Council. That he'd _earned_ it ten times over throughout the war! At least Luke would look at him and see only what was good. Anakin could do no wrong in the boy's eyes, that's what Padme always said, it was true and it was frightening. To be placed on such high pedestal only left room to fall. And he was _terrified_ of falling.

"When we know where the General is, the Council will send whoever they deem fit for such a mission." He steeled himself through his words because they were a truthful poison… The Council would not send who was fit to slay the beast; they'd send whoever the Chancellor had not asked for, whoever they _wanted_ instead, whoever was _not_ right for the mission. But, he was an adult, and adults bit their tongues and hold back the words they truly wished to speak. So, he did. For now.

"I think you could beat him," Luke smirked and Anakin could not resist joining him.

"Well, I think _you_ could beat him."

More excitement danced in his young eyes as Anakin placed him back to the floor, onto his feet. "He's no match for the Jedi, is he, dad?" At that, Anakin's smile grew forced, a mask to hide the sudden sorrow that swept through him. He remembered that, idolising the Jedi as just a boy in Tatooine… Such days were long past. When he received no answer, Luke returned to his toys as Anakin's arms crossed over his chest. He watched the ships shudder, rocking side to side before they were lifted out of the air by an invisible wind and they soared around the room. Luke truly would be powerful one day, not even Anakin could do that at his age. If the Jedi knew about him and what he could do, that'd want him… They'd take him to raise as their own as he had been. _No_. Never. He'd train Luke himself, and if the Jedi Order wouldn't have him when Anakin felt he was ready – that was, if he believed the Order had grown _worthy_ of his son at such a time – then there were other ways to achieve such a dream for Luke.

"Well, if you're going to destroy Grievous, we have some work to do." He spoke loudly and the corner of his lip twitched upwards as the model ships crashed to the floor as Luke's mind forgot about them entirely. Such was the minds of children, easily distracted.

"What?"

Anakin shrugged off his cloak and threw the heavy garment onto the nearest couch with a grin. For a moment he, much like Luke, forgot everything else, politics, the war, Obi-wan, the Council, Padme… They were gone, wiped from his mind by the thought of playing with his son. It was the best part of any day, even when Luke was so young that playing meant laying on the ground and levitating colourful blocks above his little head just to hear his laugh over and over again.

"I think it's time we started your training… My Padawan." While in actuality he was only a youngling about to receive the first lessons of his training, Anakin saw no harm in humouring the boy a little, to let him feel grown up. The pretence was sweet, and sweeter still was the _whoop_ of excitement Luke released as he leapt up and punched at the air.

"Does this mean I get a lightsaber like yours?" _Well_ , if he were a true Padawan, then yes. Unfortunately, he had another nine or so years to wait for that… Because, if Anakin gave in and helped him build his own lightsaber a single _day_ before his time, he'd have Padme _and_ Threepio after his hind.

He had been _well_ warned.

"I think we should begin with just the training blades."

* * *

It was the commotion that drew Padme from her office toward the living room, and the instant motherly worry that drove her on was merely fuelled as Threepio slipped out of the room tittering lowly about _"disrespect_ " and " _mess"_. Her very first question was, _what had he done now?_ Luke, while mostly an utter sweetheart and a wonderful son, could be fairly… Rambunctious. And of course, she'd _never_ have him another way, all that pent up energy often resulted in random hours of her son completely hyperactive. Her strongly _Force-sensitive_ hyperactive son. And that could be terrifying. Whether it was expensive vases knocked to the ground or curtains torn down after being swung on or even the refrigeration unit laying face down on the floor, _"just 'cause",_ something was always broken whenever Luke was indoors all day.

It was one of her rare days off, and Padme knew she _should_ have taken him out to one of the playparks to meet other children his age and play but she just hadn't had the heart to leave the apartment. Anakin could have come back and… If she'd _missed_ him after she'd lain awake all night waiting then… She just couldn't leave without knowing he was alright. Something was wrong, and it came from the dream – it _had_ to. This behaviour, the brooding and anger, it already happened, on Tatooine when he'd dreamt of his mother. What could it be now? What had he seen?

And now that she knew the Council had rejected his chance of joining them, her heart was broken for him. Just yesterday he'd burst into her office, smiling and _proud_ of himself for earning enough of the Chancellor's trust for such an honour and now, she knew her husband, not gaining a seat on the Council must have been a hard blow. He hadn't believed her when she told him how happy she was for him yesterday because, in the pivotal moment, where he'd expected her excitement, she'd shown only mistrust of his friend. It was a mistake and Padme realised her behaviour was appalling. It was her worst habit, her mind constantly thought of the political, what it meant for the Galaxy and in the Senate, rather than simply what was. Anakin, though he often did his best to hide it, hated that side of her, and sometimes, it wasn't difficult to understand why.

Twin slim fingers reached out to press the button built into the wall and immediately the door slid open. "Luke, what –" But instead of her son galloping around with whatever toy had taken his fancy, Padme was greeted with the much-missed sight of her beloved husband and son in battle against one another with mock lightsabers. And despite everything, it brought a smile to the Senator's lips for the first time since her time reading with Luke earlier that morning. There should be no smiles, she _should_ be apologetic and angry and… It didn't matter. None of that mattered because Anakin was here, and he was _safe._ Being the wife of a soldier, a warrior, a _hero_ had left Padme more than slightly paranoid about the safety of her husband. She worried about him constantly, even while he was on the same planet. Would it ever end? Perhaps… Once the war ended and he never had to fight another battle.

Rather than interrupting and spoiling their game, Padme merely watched them fight, blades colliding and whacking off one another and brought both arms around her body as the baby's foot _thumped_ against her flesh. _Someone else wanted to play…_ And she would have her chance, very soon. One day her daughter would be involved in these games of theirs too, and she had no doubt _daddy_ would be wrapped firmly around the girl's little finger as he already was with their nieces'. He practically _melted_ around those girls, aiding in their nefarious plots and games because, _"please, Uncle Ani?"_ and since he fell so easily to girlish manipulations, Padme couldn't wait to see how their own little girl would capture his heart.

And more than that, it was long past time Luke had a playmate. It was something he sorely lacked and having so few close friends and no siblings _had_ affected him. He was quiet, loving, but so very lonely at times… He'd once gone as far as to ask Anakin to reprogram poor Threepio to know more games. She'd almost considered trying for another child that very night… But that would have been a mistake, despite the temptation and the desire for more children, she and Anakin were far from ready for another child then… Part of her feared they still weren't ready now. Perhaps, if there was no war, it would be different; they _would_ have been ready… Maybe they would have the big family she'd always wanted by now… Ideally, though she _wanted_ more children, Padme would have waited until the war was over before she brought another child into the Galaxy because the lies and deception were _hard_ on Luke and he was so young… He shouldn't have to lie about his life the way he did. And though she loved the child within her already, _fiercely_ , half of Padme wished she had not come around quite so soon.

But, if they were lucky, Grievous would be found much sooner than later and the war would be ended. Given how weak the Separatists were it _should_ have ended the moment Dooku died, but that was another argument Anakin wouldn't want to hear. She'd hold it back as long as she could but there was no telling when her patience would give out. Just not tonight, that was all she asked. If the war was over, it would mean freedom at last, for her family to live as they always should have. It would mean her child would be born into a Galaxy without war, where stories of the Skywalkers hiding their name and denying any love for one another would be just that, _stories._

Soon, as they promised Luke.

Soon.

Anakin fell down suddenly, with a mock grunt of pain and let Luke win whatever battle they fought. She always loved watching moments like these. When she carried Luke, the chance to catch this, father and son playing together was all she could imagine. And here it was… Luke dropped his blade as his father collapsed and threw himself onto his back with a roar of delighted laughter. She hadn't seen him quite so happy in a while… And she was glad of it. So, very glad. But the more her mind wandered, the more difficult it was to simply watch the boy play… There were things they _had_ to speak about, that couldn't be avoided any longer. There would be time for play later.

"Anakin?" She called out, and Luke's head turned quickly to grace her with a beautiful grin but her eyes lingered on his sweet face for only a moment, instead she was captivated by her husband as he carefully eased their son off his back, stood and smiled at her. But it was not his smile. It was different, tight, and thin-lipped. It didn't reach his eyes. _Oh, my love… What happened in that dream?_

"Alright," his gloved hand ruffled Luke's light hair playfully, "go find Threepio and get ready for bed. Your mother and I will come see you soon." As usual, Luke's mouth opened to perform the usual, _"aww – but I'm not tired!"_ routine, however, one warning look from Anakin kept him quiet. At least he too understood there was a conversation brewing, one there was no escape from. She would not be shut out from his thoughts any longer, not when he was this tense, this worried about something… Padme had a _right_ to know what he saw.

"Goodnight, sweetheart. We'll be up soon." She called out to Luke and returned his wave before he vanished out of the door. The moment they swept closed, the ignored tension descended upon them, thickening the air with everything that had gone unspoken The silence was heavy and it pressed mercilessly down onto them until speaking, breaking it, felt utterly impossible. But she had to be the one to do it… As always in their relationship, Padme had to take the first step. And she _did._ One step and then another and another until she was close enough to touch him at last. "Where were you?" If he were any other man, thoughts of affairs would have torn her mind apart, of him with another woman somewhere, in another bed… But it was _Anakin,_ her Ani… He'd never as much as _look_ anywhere but her. And something about that frightened her more, because if he wasn't with another woman, where _had_ he been.

He could not look her in the eye. "I – I needed to get away. Spent the night in one of lower level motels." To get away? Get away from what? From her? Luke? The Council? She didn't understand… None of this made any sense. If the Council's decision had hurt as much as she suspected it had, then _why_ couldn't he come to her? His _wife_ of all people! Why was spending a night in a motel more appealing than coming back to her?

" _Why?_ Is it because of what happened in my office? Because, if it is –"

"No," he raised a hand to quieten her, "it's not that. It's just –"

"Just _what_ , Anakin? Please, tell me! Because I don't understand what's happening and I'm worried." Though her voice fought to rise, Padme forced herself to keep to a whisper – she would _not_ be a parent whose child was forced to endure the sounds of their parents' arguments filtering through the flooring as they lay in bed. It wasn't fair, or right. Luke should never have to overhear such things. But, though her worry had muted it all day, she _was_ angry. Furious even. If he didn't want to be here, with her and their son, then _fine_! But at the very least he could have commed to tell her where he was.

Instead of answering her question, he reached out with his flesh hand to caress her stomach, even as she glowered at him and Padme was unsure whether the gesture was meant to calm her, or to once again quieten her down. The hand lingered for only a moment, before it moved up, up until his fingers reached the thin chain which hung around her neck and carefully pulled it out of her dress with two tugs until the pale beige charm rested in his palm. The japor snippet he'd carved for her so long ago… When they'd been mere children thrown together in the midst of Naboo's crisis. A fond smile crossed his face as his thumb traced one of the patterns lightly, "there's nothing to worry about."

Once again her irritation flared up, but this time, Padme shook her head and slapped the necklace from his hand so the snippet fell between her breasts, supported by the chain it was suspended upon. No! He didn't get to do that, to distract her with some form of nostalgia over that time spent together on her ship. There was something wrong! He couldn't avoid speaking about it forever. "Don't do that. Don't lie to me, Anakin." With a sigh, he turned on his heel toward the pale yellow couches and sunk down onto the nearest one, resting his elbows on his thighs. He looked so defeated suddenly, so _tired_ … What could he have seen? It had to be something terrible. So she followed him, coming to stand before him as he stared at the carpet beneath his boots. "It's the dream, isn't it? It _was_ like the others… About your mother." She loathed to force him to remember, to think of that time… But what other choice was there?

A long, shuddering sigh fled his lips. "It was about you." He looked up to meet her eyes at last, and she almost gasped at the sight of the tears he held back. The dream was about _her_? That was why he wouldn't talk to her, because whatever he'd seen was…

"Me?" She whimpered.

Anakin reached out with his flesh hand for one of her own and Padme was happy to take it, and happier still to let him lead her to sit by his side. It was getting more and more difficult to carry the extra weight of their daughter every day… And the revelation from moments ago made her knees shake. Whatever anger she'd felt before was gone, murdered by four short words and replaced by a strange nervousness… A dread she'd never felt before. What could he have seen about her that could have had this effect?

Beside her, he choked on a breath and her hand squeezed his as tightly as she could. Whether it was to offer support or force him to continue, she wasn't sure. Perhaps both? "I… It was about you." He repeated, and the words didn't sound any better the second time. "You… I saw you die in childbirth.

The breath in her lungs escaped her body in the blink of her eye. For a moment, she could not breathe and her free hand grazed her throat… He'd seen her _die_ , in his dreams… Just like his mother all those years ago. Dreams of the future was a talent he'd always had, even as a young child, she remembered him telling her all about it on their way to Tatooine. There was no denying his gift or the warning's it brought. They had proven themselves many times over. If Anakin had seen her death, then… Then it _had_ to be true…

Without thinking, her arm wrapped itself around the swell of her stomach, around her _baby_ , her precious little angel as her gaze worked its way back to his with the slight burn of tears blurring her vision. "What about the baby?" Came her whisper, her _plea_. Had he seen anything about the baby? There had to be something, _anything_ to tell him that she would be alright at least.

Through her tears, Padme saw him shake his head. "I don't know." This was… She just needed a moment, to think. Anakin was an emotional man, ruled by his heart over his head and though that was something she'd always loved about him, she feared what may happen if… If his heart got the better of him now. What would he do if he knew her death was imminent? She'd _seen_ what became of him after the tragic passing of his mother, the darkness that had settled into his soul – even temporarily… What would he do if – _when_ – she passed too? Her pragmatic nature forced such thoughts upon her, but a moment later a cold wave of fear crept through her every vein and rode her blood until it clasped at her heart with an iron grip. "I'm going to die…" She sobbed suddenly and Anakin released an agonised groan.

"No!" He took her face in both hands, forcing his teary gaze upon her own. "You're not going to die, Padme. I – I _promise_ you."

 _He believed that._ She saw it in his eyes. But the sight was not comforting, not at all; instead, it sent her fear off further, increasing it tenfold. What was going to happen when he failed? Would the determination in his eyes lead him to the belief that he failed her, as he so much belief that he'd failed his mother? How would he recover? And what about her children? Her sweet babies… How would Anakin cope with them without her? He pulled her closer suddenly, and Padme allowed it, returning the embrace weakly as every inch of her body trembled. She felt him place a kiss against her hair softly and usually such a gesture would always make her smile, but there was nothing in the Galaxy that could make her smile now. "You're not going to die…" He whispered, but Padme had no answer to his oath. Her body was frozen in place and she stared out at the countless ships that sped past her window and beyond.

 _There was catastrophe in the air._

 _ **Please review!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: This chapter switches between Anakin and Padme's point of view, but I've made it very clear where the switch happens.**_

They were late.

It wasn't truly their fault, or at least, no one could blame their tardiness on them… The Chancellor's offer had only come by datapad and comm merely a standard hour ago and it, for Padme at least, had unleashed a storm of utter panic. An invitation to the Chancellor's private booth for a night in Coruscant's beautiful opera house was a great honour; one that many Senators spent their entire careers vying for. Usually, such an important event in her calendar would warrant _weeks_ of preparations, gown fittings, hair stylings and the like. Her handmaidens were usually run off their feet by the time the actual night drew near because Padme was a _Senator,_ she had to look the part when photographed for the Holonet news, but to look the part meant walking a fine balance between elegance and pompousness. Despite her rank, she'd always worked hard to seem relatable to her people, one of them, _chosen_ by them… And what better way to reflect that than her choices in attire?

However, all of that was before she had a mere hour to dress and arrive. Before she was so swollen with the child within her that at times it was difficult to stand to her feet on her own… There were plenty of outfits she'd commissioned especially to disguise her pregnancy, but not many of them suited the context of such an invitation. When the eyes of the Galaxy would be on her, as she was photographed and recorded, what could she wear to appear regular in size? As if she was not in a constant state of stressed exhaustion and uncomfortableness…

Nothing.

There was _nothing_ that worked, that was perfectly appropriate for the night ahead that also hid her new shape… So she'd opted for a simple navy gown that did nothing to conceal the roundness of her stomach and blanketed herself instead in the largest cloak she owned while Dorme worked furiously to straighten and twist her hair up into twin buns by either side of her head. Alderaanian style was extremely fashionable at the moment, and draping herself in the trend would surely call attention to her hair rather than her choice of clothing… Or at least, she hoped it would.

Anakin huffed and rolled his eyes as she flew from one room to the next, deciding which gown was best… But Padme ignored him entirely. When he had to disguise the size of his body and choose from _hundreds_ of gowns by style and size, only _then_ would she listen to such impatience. Until then, she left him alone with a datapad to fill the time he spent waiting.

She couldn't have gotten ready faster. Even if she weren't pregnant, receiving an invitation at such a late hour would have thrown her off. Such a thing was unheard of, and as Anakin piloted them toward the opera house, she wondered if perhaps one of the Chancellor's vast staff had forgotten to send the invites until tonight? It was understandable, even if it was more stress on top of the heavy load already weighing down on the Senator's tired shoulders.

The plush red carpeted stairs of the elite building were entirely abandoned by the time of their arrival, which meant they truly _were_ extremely late… No guests lingered outside by the bars and the reporters had vanished most likely to attempt to catch the show from the backs of the less expensive booths nearer the bottom of the chamber. But Padme was grateful for this… The climb to the top of stairs was a steep one, and any other time and she'd have bounded her way up almost as quickly as Anakin, but to walk even shortest distance was extremely tiresome these days, and stairs were growing more and more difficult to manoeuvre on her own. The first few steps were tolerable, but as she continued, the weight of her belly set off the almost never-ending ache in her back and pulling air into her lungs became a struggle. Not even half way to the top and even her legs quivered beneath the strain… She'd forgotten some of the more unpleasant experiences of pregnancy, it'd been so long since Luke came along that her mind had glamoured the memories as slightly uncomfortable, but entirely tolerable. Now, as she experienced it again, Padme cursed that she was the one who was forced to endure such struggles.

She wished dearly for the leather harness her mother had given her when the news broke that she was carrying Luke… It was a plain, brown piece, rather ugly too, but as her first pregnancy progressed Padme swore she came to love the thing more than her own husband. Cleverly, it was designed to hold the weight of the baby so her back did not bear the strain alone… _Oh,_ what she'd give to have it now, especially to sit through an entire performance… _Why hadn't she thought of it earlier?_

"Do you need some help?" Anakin called back, over his shoulder, almost halfway to the top after a few mere strides. While a large part of her wanted to tell him no, that she was perfectly capable of managing on her own, an even larger part of her _knew_ that not only without any help she'd be forced to pause for a break in three more steps, but that her husband was a _Jedi_. The very fact that he'd offered meant he was perfectly aware of her struggle. _And yet, he hadn't offered sooner…_

After a moment, she pushed such thoughts out of her mind and shook her head. There were parts of pregnancy Padme _adored_ , feeling her baby move and kick, the hiccups, the knowledge that a _life_ was growing inside of her, one she and Anakin created together, through their love… But there were also a great many things she practically _loathed_ about the process too. The weight, the marks stretched across her skin, the sickness… It was a wonderful time, but a terrible one too. One she couldn't say she'd ever missed after Luke's birth. And _this_ was why… She couldn't even climb a set of stairs on her own!

" _Please?"_ And despite his irritation at their lateness or his eagerness to see his friend, Anakin chuckled and jogged back down, to her side to wrap his flesh arm around her waist and capture her hand within the grip of durasteel fingers beneath thick leather. To be able to lean her weight on him was an immediate relief all over her body. The sooner they could make it to the booth so she could settle into a seat, the better. "Thank you." She muttered as they made it to the small, flat landing between stair sets. Had the building grown warmer since their arrival? No… It had to be the cloak, the thick velvet was marvellous through the winter months, but in an already warm building with corridors filled with burning lamps… It was insufferable. She'd sweat through her gown at this rate.

"If I thought you'd allow it, I'd just carry you to the top." Anakin drawled, barely concealing the amusement laced thickly through his words. Yes, she could imagine him scooping her up, into his arms… And perhaps, usually such an image would have been sweet, romantic even, but the very idea of him carrying her now sent a wave of dread through her body. No… It would be horrifying! Not only was there a risk of him tripping, or dropping her, but vainly, Padme could only imagine him judging her for the increased weight… It was ridiculous, and she _knew_ it. But that did not stop the flush of embarrassment in her cheeks at the thought of him struggling to hoist her up, arms quaking…

Gods no…

"You're right, I wouldn't allow it."

He laughed again, and Padme forced herself to join him, feigning humour as at last, they reached the end of the stairs. The space between each doorway of the booths was filled with one of the Chancellor's red-robed guards who stood motionlessly and silently, doing their duty. The sight almost drew an eye roll from the Senator, and if she was not so skilled in masking her true feelings after years of practice within the Senate, she might have done so. An entire hallway of security was more than a little overkill, _surely_? Whatever threat that could occur could absolutely be handled by a mere handful – especially if there was to be a Jedi in attendance too… It seemed wasteful. Wasteful of the time of these beings and wasteful of the public's taxed credits which filled their pocketbooks.

To be frank, Padme just couldn't agree with the Chancellor's attendance of the show at all tonight. It wasn't that she believed he did not deserve a night away from the desk to relax, of course not, everyone deserved that. But to surround himself with Coruscant's elite for a night of elegant decadence while war ravaged the Galaxy, ending the lives of billions and destroying many more seemed in bad taste to her. It was why she'd been so surprised to receive an invitation at all; it was no secret that she no longer agreed with the Palpatine's leadership or what he'd done to the constitution. By all rights, Padme should have been the very _last_ person on his list of potential guests.

Yet, here she was…

Something wasn't right about it, though just what, she could not place her finger on. Why _was_ she here? Why was _Anakin_ here? The Jedi weren't politicians, they did not need to be photographed in certain places to keep up public opinion, and there were far better uses of her husband's time than here. But stranger still, the choice to invite them _both_ … What was Palpatine thinking? He was an exceptionally intelligent man; he never did anything without a motive. And that was what frightened her. What _were_ his motives for tonight? Somehow, Padme doubted it was simply to enjoy the show… There was a tension in the air, a thick, invisible smog that few could see and she feared it may choke them all before any of them knew it.

Still at the head of the stairs, she whispered, "how do I look?" The guards wouldn't hear if they spoke low enough, and she needed the answer. "It's getting more and more difficult to hide the evidence of the baby." Almost nothing _fit_ anymore and even this gown, one of the few that did, grew tighter and tighter by the moment, she swore it. There was no time to commission anything new and… And there was really no point, was there? What was the use for dresses if there would be no one to wear them in a matter of weeks?

Anakin frowned. "You look beautiful, as always…"

Typical. "That's _not_ what I'm asking you, Anakin." While the complement was sweet, it wasn't what she needed from him – how could he have misunderstood something so simple? He knew the importance of keeping the baby hidden, or at least, she'd assumed that he understood. "People are going to grow suspicious sooner than later and there are only so many excuses I can make to keep my cloak on – especially here. It's rude." A night in the opera house was special, it was an _event_ and one's choice of clothing was supposed to represent that. Some people paid _extraordinary_ amounts of credits for outfits to come here… And Padme was forced to keep her _cloak_ on. It was a miracle that the Holonet news reporters were already gone, or else she'd have ended up all over the gossip site's, _'do and don'ts'_ fashion pages. _Again_. Her choices in dresses to hide her pregnancy had proven to be very… Unpopular among the style critics.

"Well," he sighed, raising his arms in a shrugging gesture, "what do you want me to do, Padme? You know I'm tired of the deception, why not let everyone see the truth?" For a moment, he looked tired. Incredibly _exhausted_ , and while she wanted to understand it, that want was drowned in the frustration his words created. _Why_ was he doing that again? It wasn't fair – this wasn't the right time for the truth, now more than ever after what he'd told her about his dreams!

"You _know_ why." Her teeth grit together behind her lips as she spoke, and then more when his eyes rolled. What was he, a child? If it were not for the presence of the guards, she'd have said just that. However, they were late to meet with the Chancellor and Padme did not wish to begin an argument in front of strangers. They couldn't take such a risk and it seemed, for once, Anakin agreed.

"The Chancellor is waiting."

"Yes," she droned. "We mustn't keep our _generous_ host waiting…"

* * *

"Ah, Senator Amidala, General Skywalker! I'm pleased to see you've finally arrived!" The Chancellor rose from his seat to greet them and the others quickly joined his stance. In a line stood Sly Moore, Mas Amada, Bail Organa and others she knew from brief meetings in Senate galas… It truly _was_ an elitist night. Only two seats lay empty and spare, one by the Chancellor's side and the other… Four seats away, beside Bail. _They were to be separated._ Although they'd been snapping at one another just moments ago, Padme would much rather be seated close to her husband than anyone else, even her good friend Bail. But, it seemed there was little choice… And there would be no contest as to who the Chancellor had saved the prized position by his side for. "Did you take a moment to be photographed by the reporters?" She heard him ask Anakin but paid no mind as her eyes took in the glorious sight of the opera. No matter how many times she'd come, how many shows she'd taken in over her years spent in Coruscant, the sight never failed to awe the Senator. Beautiful did it no justice, the glittering orb stole her breath away.

"Senator?" Anakin's hand reached out to gently graze the tips of his fingers against her knuckles for a moment, drawing her back to the Chancellor's cold gaze. He must have said something directly to her… Oh, she hadn't heard a thing. She could not ask the man to repeat himself as it would expose her rudeness; so instead, she slipped into the polite Senatorial façade.

"I'm honoured you invited me to attend this evening with you, Chancellor." The lie rolled easily from her tongue, almost too easily. Padme abhorred dishonesty but there was very little truth to the life she lived publically, and thus, beyond the skill that politics had granted her, lying had become as simple as breathing. "I've always loved the opera…"

"Yes." Palpatine nodded, "Do you remember your first night here, in Coruscant?" His grey-blue gaze flickered between Padme and Anakin, "I brought you along to a show just like this." Yes, she remembered that... Oh, she'd loved him then, her former adviser turned Chancellor, she thought he was one of the wisest beings in the Galaxy, and so welcoming and warm… He'd been the grandfather she'd lost so many years ago. In those days, Padme trusted him implicitly, wholly and she'd been so grateful that he'd trusted her enough in return to offer her the role of Senator with the agreement of the people… But that was a very long time ago.

"I'll never forget it." She forced a smile to her unwilling lips and did not miss the way his gaze watched the struggle… Something about it, about this entire night, sent a cold shiver along her spine. It wasn't _right._ There was something… _Something_ she just couldn't see, that none of them could. They shouldn't be here, Anakin especially, not with the Chancellor. Padme couldn't trust him, not anymore and Anakin's blind loyalty only made it worse. She needed an excuse, a _reason_ to leave, something real, believable, something no one could question – that Anakin would not resent her for later…

"Senator Amidala!" Bail smiled and gestured to the empty seat by his side as Anakin and Palpatine moved toward the others… It was too late. There would be no leaving this place until the show was done. All she could do was sit and pretend to enjoy herself as her hands trembled beneath her sleeves.

* * *

"Intelligence of great importance has reached our ears." The Chancellor whispered, never once looking away from the liquefied sphere as the colours danced to the low hum of music. Anakin's eyes narrowed, intelligence? What kind of intelligence? This was far from the appropriate place for important revelations, was it not? There were others around, politicians, aides… Beings he did not necessarily trust. Should the risk of important information being overheard not inspire a need for privacy? "The location of General Grievous has been discovered at last. It seems he's been biding his time in the Utapau system."

The words brought his head around so quickly that his neck ached slightly, but the Jedi paid the small pain no mind. Grievous had been found at last? That – that meant that the war could be ended sooner than later, that the fighting would be done… It meant his promises to Luke could be mere _days_ from becoming reality. At last, the lies would be over and his place by the side of his family would be cemented – publically known – _forever_. Unable to resist, Anakin's gaze wondered to Padme for a moment as elation soared through his boy. _Soon, my love..._ Soon nothing would part them again. He almost laughed from the sheer joy of it all. _Oh_ , he couldn't wait to tell Luke!

"To destroy Grievous is to end the war." He grinned, flashing teeth. "Who do you believe would be best to undertake such a mission of such importance?

* * *

She was _uncomfortable_ , and not just because the baby's foot would not relent in her kicking, but the name nervousness that had plagued her since their arrival only intensified the longer they remained here. She leant as far back as the chair would allow, to catch a glimpse of Anakin and the Chancellor. If she could just overhear a _snippet_ of what they said… Perhaps it would ease her, to hear friendly chatter between old friends, to hear them discuss the weather or the war or… _Anything_ that was normal.

Whatever was said, Padme doubted Anakin would divulge to her later, when they were once more alone. Sometimes… Her determination faltered for a moment, sometimes she thought that… She _feared_ that his loyalty to the Chancellor had grown stronger than the loyalty he pledged to her. And she wished that she could deny it, that she was being silly, letting the hormones get to her, but she _couldn't._

"Padme?" Bail whispered beside her, and the interruption drew her focus to the man. "What is it? Are you not enjoying the show?" Oh, Bail… If only she could tell him exactly what was wrong. He would believe her, his trust in Palpatine too had been long obliterated. If she told him everything, she'd have a staunch supporter… But that was impossible. To tell him everything would mean… Telling him _everything._ It just couldn't happen, not here, not now… Not ever.

In an effort to seem calm, Padme sat back in the chair and looked forward… At the very least she could put some effort into the pretence of enjoyment. "Of course, I'm honoured by the Chancellor's invitation."

* * *

"Anakin…" Palpatine shook his head, "I'm sure you're aware that my trust in the Jedi Council of late has been… Shaken." He felt a frown paint his face but remained silent. The Chancellor too had noticed the change in them? He wasn't alone in noticing the hypocrisies of the Council. Something about that was a relief, but it also frightened him. If another pair of eyes had seen it, then indeed it was real – not just his imagination. That the Chancellor could notice what Anakin had… It meant the problems of the Order were not as deeply buried as they would like to believe. "Especially after their refusal to grant you a place among their ranks."

He glanced away sharply, inhaling deeply, as his eyes forced themselves to admire the beauty of the show. Deep within his chest, the dragon growled and sunk its claws into his flesh, " _he's the only one who trusts you! He sees the truth as you do. The Council think they're better than you, more powerful! How dare they?"_ Anakin's teeth bit his lip until the metallic tang of blood coated his mouth. Not here… This was not the place for his anger… "They believe that our friendship is a threat." The admission was one that Obi-wan would wish to throttle him for, but there was no denying the truth of it. The old man had all but said it himself!

"Oh yes, I'm sure they do." Palpatine nodded. "But what we must ask ourselves, Anakin, is _why_ our friendship is so threatening to them." What? How was he supposed to answer such a thing? _Was_ there an answer the Chancellor wished to hear from him? Again, he found his gaze wandering across the heads of the other guests, to his wife… Padme would know what to say… She _always_ knew what to say when he did not. Unfortunately, she did not meet his gaze, or somehow sense his distress; she was too busy whispering with Organa for that.

"I'm not sure I understand…" He muttered, looking back to his friend.

"Soon you will. I'm sure that with your power, you'll begin to sense their plot as it unfolds." The Chancellor spoke without looking at Anakin and somehow managed to seem utterly enthralled with the performance at the same time… Meanwhile, his own mind reeled. What plot could the Jedi _possibly_ have? He had to be mistaken – it was mistrust gone too far.

"A plot?" It just didn't make any sense… Some may not like how the people had asked the Chancellor to remain in power after his term had ended, or the reworking of the constitution, but those were free beliefs; they did not mean there was some kind of scheme in the works.

"The Jedi don't like my staying in power, Anakin." He explained, speaking quietly, barely audible above the music, "I strive daily to return peace to the Galaxy, but it is that lack of peace that has given the Jedi the influence they hold now. From mysterious figures rarely seen in public, to war Generals beloved by the people – _most_ of the people, at least. That's quite the social climb, don't you agree?"

Anakin shook his head for a moment. "Well… Yes, but the Jedi hope for a conclusion to this war as much as anyone else. We're peacekeepers."

"I fear the Jedi have begun to benefit from this war… They shall seek to continue it even if…" Palpatine leant closer and Anakin followed his lead. "Even if it meant staging a coup, to overthrow the Senate." No… No! That wasn't true. The Jedi were peaceful, they wanted democracy and diplomacy for all systems – not control! That was not the Jedi way. What could have brought this to his mind? It was ridiculous, it was untrue… Impossible.

"Forgive me, but I can't truly believe that –"

"Look beyond your loyalties and see the truth!" Palpatine interrupted and Anakin winced. He knew the truth, and it wasn't a pleasant one. The truth was the as the Chancellor had lost faith in the Council, they too had lost their faith in him. They held different ideals; things had changed since the beginning of the war… But that did not make what he suggested true. It couldn't…

"They don't trust you." He confessed quietly, "but that alone isn't proof of any plots!"

"They don't trust me, or the Senate… Or the values of the Republic." Or him. The unspoken words hung heavy in the air for a moment, even as he attempted to shrug them off. There was… There was definite truth in what the Chancellor said, and Anakin had suspected such things for a while. Perhaps… Perhaps they wished for a change, a restructuring of how the Republic was governed. He himself could not disagree with those desires… But that did not mean… It _couldn't…_ But how could the Chancellor be so mistaken? He was too astute to misjudge something so entirely, to make such a mistake. And… And he _had_ begun to wonder if there was more… More than the Council were willing to share…

"I…" He swallowed uneasily, "sometimes I think that… That the Masters of the Council are lying to me – to all of us." As he spoke his eyes returned to the opera as it played out before them, too guilty to meet the Chancellor's eye. To even think such things was near treasonous, but to _speak_ it out loud, to another… He almost wished to reach into the space between them and grab the words to force them back within his mind, where no one else knew they existed.

"About the Force?" Came the Chancellor's easy response. _He understood._ Was that better or worse, Anakin couldn't decide.

Lost to his guilt, he could only nod.

"No matter the circumstances, no matter the life one leads, there is one truth that can never be denied." The statement piqued his interest, and Anakin found himself frowning toward the Chancellor once more.

"What's that?" One truth? Truth felt lacking no matter where he went of late, it was something he'd begun to miss amongst the never-ending tunnel of deception that had become his life.

Palpatine's head turned to meet Anakin's gaze. "Those who gain power, become afraid to lose it. Not even the Jedi are exempt from this." His eyes immediately snapped downward, to his thighs instead… He believed such a thing was true, he'd seen it so often for himself in many, from monarchs to politicians, slavers and gangsters… But not the Jedi.

"The Jedi – we – we use our power for good! To _help_ people!" That too, was a truth that couldn't be denied, just as much as the other statement. They were keepers of the peace, defenders of the innocent. Jedi sought no personal power; they longed for and desired nothing but order and serenity. But as he glanced toward his wife, Anakin started to feel more and more like a hypocrite by the moment.

" _Good?"_ The old man scoffed with a chuckle, "now, that's merely a point of view, isn't it? Was it _good_ of the Jedi to ignore the plight of those who suffered as slaves on Tatooine? Or, was it _good_ of Qui-Gon to leave your mother behind, regardless of her fate?" His eyes widened in shock, and his jaw clenched tightly. The dragon hissed its fiery breath in his chest, ready to burn the offending words to ash. Whywould he say such a thing? Here? Now? _Why_?

" _Stop right there."_

"Think about it, Anakin… Good and Evil, Jedi and Sith, they're very similar. So similar that, when one looks at it from a different view than our own – they're just the same" Anakin leant back further in his seat as the ability to move left him… Every inch of his body tinged with shock. What he said… It _shouldn't_ make sense, and yet, it _did._

"But…" He breathed, "but the Sith rely on their passion for their strength."

Slowly, Palpatine turned to look at him, almost impassive, yet a light of curiosity shone in his eyes. "And you don't?"

His jaw slackened. That – that… It wasn't wrong… For a moment he could not so much as _breathe_ much less begin to form a response, so he looked forward again as the tempo of the beat slowed so something slower, almost darker. Anakin was no Sith… He was a _Jedi_ , despite the flaws of the Order. The Jedi did more good than harm, and _that_ was the difference… Unless there was more. More he wasn't being told about the Order, about what only Masters were allowed to view within the archives.

They were silent for several moments, as his thoughts raced, until the Chancellor spoke again, drawing him back out from within his own mind. "Have you ever heard the story of Darth Plagueis?" Darth Plagueis? He'd never heard the name never mind a story surrounding such a being…

"No."

"I'm not surprised," Palpatine nodded, "It's not a story the Jedi would be fond of telling."

Anakin's eyes narrowed as he drew his stare back to the much older man. "Why not?"

"It's a Sith legend." A _Sith_ legend? Well, it was no wonder he'd never heard of it before… Stories of the Sith were never romanticised or retold when he'd studied as a youngling or worked toward Knighthood, they were not to be glorified, that was what Obi-wan said. Until the reappearance of the Sith, even the word had barely been a whisper in the Temple halls.

"How do you know a Sith legend?" He could not hold back the question, the curiosity was too great. Few Jedi knew anything about the Sith beyond the basics that had been taught to them in the classrooms, he supposed the Masters may have known some of the legends, but the Chancellor? That was unlikely…

Palpatine merely chuckled. "I'm an old man, Anakin… An old man who has led a long life and heard many stories." Well… That was understandable, he supposed. The older one grew, the more you knew after all. The Chancellor was wise, and wisdom came from experience. In his position, it was likely that someone – perhaps even one of the Masters themselves – had simply retold the story.

"I see."

"Darth Plagueis was once a Lord of the Sith. He was powerful… And wise too. A dangerous combination. He had many powers beyond the imaginings of most… One such being that, he had the power to use the Force to influence the midichlorians to create," the cold sweep of the Chancellor's gaze trailed from the ends of Anakin's cloak bundled by his feet on the floor, upwards, until it rested upon his face, sending a shudder crawling across his body, " _life…"_

"His knowledge of the Dark Side was unparalleled and _unprecedented_ …" He continued and returned his gaze to the show but Anakin did not dare look away from the man, enthralled in his story, _aching_ to hear more, to receive every detail. "He could even keep the people he cared about from dying." _What_? How – how could such a thing be possible? It wasn't… Was it? If this Sith Lord of the past had found a way, then it had to exist. But, the Force… It did not return lives, it gave them and then took them back within itself in a constant cycle… Life and death were one and the same, constantly linked, always circling, never ending… How had this Darth Plagueis broken the wheel?

" _How_?" Anakin demanded suddenly and shifted in his seat to face the Chancellor more.

"The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities… Especially over life and death." His gaze flew over toward Padme again, and he reached out, within the Force to feel her, to surround himself with her utterly until there was _nothing_ but her in his senses. He loved her… His wife, his angel, the mate to his soul, the mother of his children… He _loved_ her and now, he wouldn't have to lose her. There _was_ a way, Yoda was wrong. A power existed, over life and death and _by the Force_ ; Anakin swore he'd find it to evade her fate.

Somehow, he tore his eyes from his beloved and looked back to the Chancellor. "Is it possible to learn this power?" If he could discover the secrets of this Sith and learn from his discoveries, then his promise could be kept – he could _save_ her! He waited, body thrumming in anticipation, desperate for whatever answer awaited him as Palpatine slowly turned his head to face Anakin again, calm as ever, oblivious to his silent frenzy.

"Not, from a Jedi."

* * *

Padme's neck ached as she leant back again, craning every muscle between her head and shoulders to gain the best sight possible of what was happening. She frowned as she just barely heard her husband say something about… _Learning?_ That was what he said, wasn't it? Beyond the horns of Mas Amedda and the smooth, bald head of Sly Moore, she spied the movement of the Chancellor's lips, but his words were lost to her. What were they saying? It _had_ to be something of importance… Because that was the true reason they were here, she knew it. It was no honour or attempt to build bridges; Padme was sure beyond any doubt that he'd invited them here for an opportunity to speak with Anakin. But why her? If he called, Anakin would have come without her… That fact, she accepted bitterly. Perhaps he merely wanted her photographed here, so as to convince the public they were friends again, or - or maybe it was… She had no idea. But there _was_ a reason, no matter how it evaded her… Palpatine had his reasons and even without truly knowing them, they disturbed Padme greatly.

"Padme?" Came Bail's voice again, but this time, she paid her fellow Senator no mind as he called to her. Instead, she watched her husband and the Chancellor speak as best she could, though the music blocked out their words to her great frustration. If she just knew what was being said… She may know what was going on and at last, understand just what Anakin was thinking… Was it about the dream? Had he confided in Palpatine already? _Please, Ani, no…_ Not him. She didn't trust him enough to know such information. Suddenly, a hand laid itself upon her shoulder and Padme bounced in her seat with the surprise. What – _oh…_ Bail… Yes. "What is it?" He asked and she shook her head. _She didn't know_! That was the problem. Tears burned at her eyes before she could stop them and her only hope was that the dim lighting within the booth hid them. What could she say? How could she explain how she felt without the truth of everything pouring from her lips? She glanced back, over her shoulder toward the Chancellor just as Anakin rose from his seat and stepped around him and made toward the exit. Where was he going? The show wasn't even half over yet? By the door, he paused and met her eye for a moment, and she felt it, the gentle, invisible caress against her cheek… A silent goodbye perhaps, or an apology for their slight bickering earlier? Whatever it was, it left Padme _cold_. Something was in his eyes; she could see it from here… A fire, a resolve that hadn't been there before… And she didn't like it.

"Something's happening…" She whispered as Anakin vanished through the doorway, "I just don't know what it is."

 _ **Please review!**_


	7. Chapter 7

A cold draft ran through the high Council chambers and Anakin shivered beneath its touch. Was it truly the air he felt, or just the emotionless gazes of the beings surrounding him? They made a perfect circle, leaving no part of him unwatched, unjudged or unscrutinised. Despite this, he only half paid attention to the words he spoke, relaying the news of Grievous' location – he'd repeated it to himself in the quiet corners of his mind more times than it could be possible to count. The words needed no attention to leave his mouth now. He could say them in his sleep. Utapau. Grievous was in Utapau.

Now they could go kill him.

Once, that was, they selected someone to take the job. And by they, Anakin meant the Masters. And by Masters, he meant not him. Despite himself, his eyes wandered to the empty seat to the left, with just one between it and Obi-wan. It was meant for him. _Him._ Not to be left empty for whomever the Council decided to favour when they pleased. With a sudden inhale, he felt the scaly tail of the dragon coil itself around his heart with a harsh _squeeze._ " _It should have been yours…"_ Came its foul whisper, " _They know it – that's why they deny you! Show your strength. Remind them who you are…"_

"I believe I should lead the campaign to find Grievous." Anakin declared loudly and flicked his tongue out to wet his lips as a waver of nervousness came to life in his stomach. It wasn't easy, to ask anything of these people, not when most of them watched him with barely disguised disdain. "After all, I –"

Windu leant forward as he spoke, a deep frown knitting the small space between his brows tightly, and he had no intention of allowing Anakin's request to reach its end. "The _Council_ will decide who we send, not you, Skywalker."

Without command, his teeth sunk into his lip until he tasted blood. The sharp sting was _nothing_ in comparison of the burst of flames in his chest. _How dare he_? No! No… This was not the time for anger, he had to remain calm. Anger would lead to more trouble than he needed now – he had enough to concern himself with, with his dreams. Mace Windu could have his smugness for now. His time would come. Calm… Calm… He needed to be calm. Peace. Serenity. Deep breaths.

 _There is no emotion, there is peace._

Yoda glanced around the room gravely, and took his time, as if weighing the options before he spoke. "Undertake this mission, a _Master_ should." His teeth cut further into his lip and the sting grew into an ache, and he was forced to swallow the warm gush of blood rather than spit it out onto the floor. It was vile, but no worse than enduring this meeting. Inside him, the dragon's jaw snapped open, but he drowned out its words with his own.

 _There is no ignorance, there is knowledge._

To the right, by the side of Windu, the flickering blue image of Ki Adi Mundi spoke, "yes… Someone with more experience is needed. Someone such as…"

 _There is no passion, there is serenity._

"Master Kenobi."

 _There is no chaos, there is –_

Kenobi?

They – they spurned him but turned to his former master? " _They're mocking you!_ " The dragon hissed furiously, " _Kenobi? It's an insult! They want to humiliate you!"_ All around him, the Council murmured their agreements and Anakin glanced around them, aghast. No one met his eye and his fists trembled beneath the long sleeves of his cloak… _"He hasn't spoken for you once! He gladly takes what should be yours!"_ His eyes moved to his old friend, desperately, perhaps almost pleadingly, hopelessly determined to see something reflected in the man's eyes, a sympathy or apology – _anything_ that proved he stood by him, now when no one else would.

But Obi-wan refused to meet his eye.

* * *

The longer she stared at the flimsi sat neatly upon the table, the less the Senator could believe any of this was truly happening. She carefully raised her gaze to meet those of her fellow Senators and attempted to remain calm, even in appearance if nothing else. "Despite everything, I truly can't believe Palpatine means to dismantle the Senate. He has been my friend for years – my advisor even, so long ago when I was Queen." Beside her, Mon shrugged nonchalantly and leant forward to place down her mug of caff so near the document that the tips of Padme's fingers twitched uncomfortably.

"He needn't bother." The woman spoke casually, as if these matters were not Galaxy altering, "As it stands, the Senate no longer exists – we're merely a shadow of the past. A pretence at best."

Each face Padme looked at was grimmer than the last, and what little hope she'd held onto when entering into this illicit meeting grew fainter by the moment. Opposite them, across the table, Bail sat confidently with a leg crossed over his knee and stroked his beard gently.

"The matter of the fact is, even if the Senate _were_ as it once was, Palpatine still would not have to worry about keeping control. His lackeys have been carefully promoted to Governors on every planet of the Republic – he controls our systems completely. More than any Queen." His hard stare landed on Padme for a long moment, before moving on, "Or any other elected leader. Our Republic has fallen into a dictatorship so subtly that many still cannot see it." They all sat, stunned and silent, for a time before even Bail found the strength to continue. "And it is _our_ fault."

"Accepting the reality is all well and good Senators," the red-headed Terr Taneel spoke, "but what can we _do_ about it?"

To her question, Padme had no answer. _She should not be hearing any of this…_ To even be here was a betrayal to her Chancellor and her husband. It felt terribly wrong, though it was absolutely _right_ that she attended.

"That very question is why we have gathered here today." Mon tapped her fingers on the arm of the chair, "something has to be done."

Across the table, beside Bail, another Senator, whose name she could not recall suddenly, spoke so quietly, that his voice was almost lost to her hearing. "None of this can end well…"

At his words, Bail sat straight once more and scowled in a way she'd never seen from him before. "None of this _will_ end well if we do nothing. That is the point, Senator, democracy is disappearing before our very eyes and as it stands, no one has the nerve to reach out and salvage it! How could we live with ourselves if a thousand years of diplomacy was destroyed when we had a chance to save it?" His voice was alight with a fiery passion Padme feared toed the line between indignation and rage. If it were not for his beloved Breha, she would have believed politics was Bail's great love. Almost no one was as invested in justice as Bail Organa and she held him in the highest of respects for it. He truly was, a _great_ man. And, to see him so wound up, almost _trembling_ in distress at how everything was beginning to shift, was appalling. "It is our duty," he continued, voice never wavering despite his grief, "to fight this to the end."

" _Fight?"_ Padme cried, "Bail what you're saying is…" She could not bear to end the sentence, the words felt too awful in her mouth to be spoken aloud. No, leave it to someone else.

He nodded stiffly, glancing to Terr briefly, "Yes, I understand. I apologise. It is just, my passion and anger have been lit with this issue… My only hope is that we use our influence to not only halt the poison seeping through the Republic, but to purge it fully."

Beside Padme, Mon nodded, "I believe it is clear to us that Palpatine no longer favours democracy – if anything, he has become its bitter rival."

This could not be happening… Padme slumped back in her seat dejectedly and resisted the urge to rest a hand on her stomach, even as the usual uncomfortableness began to set in. How in the Galaxy had it come to this?In the midst of a seemingly never-ending war, a band of Senators gathering together in quiet circles to discuss the Chancellor's growing lust for power. She wasn't sure which frightened her more, the small treason this conversation committed, or the likeliness of truth in their words.

"Surely, if the Senate's vote granted Palpatine the executive powers, its vote can also take them back?" If they could rouse enough voices against these new powers, then with another vote, things could easily be set to rights again. It may even be something of a wake up for the man, to see many did not agree with his leadership anymore. Perhaps then, peace talks could begin and the Galaxy would settle down once again.

Unfortunately, all she was greeted with were a few shaken heads and quiet murmuring for a moment or two before Senator Giddean Danu braced his elbows on his knees, face grave, "do not underestimate the corruption that has set into the Senate, Senator Amidala. Those who are not in the Chancellor's pocket are more than likely controlled by the pocketbooks by those being made rich by Palpatine's bribes."

For a moment, everything felt utterly hopeless and her tired spirit faulted slightly. How could they fix anything when Palpatine had all the cards held tightly in his grasp?

"Someone has to be the first to voice our concerns and vote against him in the Senate. Someone who's voice can rally others to our side. But who would be willing?" Mon's question made Padme blink. With that, her calling had come. Yes, yes – perhaps there _was_ hope after all. If she could be the one to speak against Palpatine, others would follow! How many times had it happened in the past? She'd defeated him more than once with words alone and this would be no different. She _had_ to do this. For democracy, the Republic and… And most importantly, she had to do this for her _children._ There _had_ to be a Galaxy of peace for them to grow within. There just _had to._

"I'll do it." She declared soundly, "and I'm sure I can sway others into voting with me." This was her _duty,_ not only as a Senator, but as a person, as someone who did not wish to see her beloved Republic stamped beneath the Chancellor's boot. From now on, there was no other choice but to work against him if she wanted to see peace returned to the Galaxy… _No matter how much her husband may hate her for it._

Everyone was quiet for a time, considering her words before Bail nodded, the first to speak, "yes. Make a noise in the Senate, oppose him wherever you can and call others to do the same. We'll need this as a cover for the organisation being created by Mon and I to –"

She lifted her hand to silence him suddenly, _"stop!"_ This, she could not hear. Somethings can never be unheard after all. "I understand you Senator, but some things are better left unsaid." If she was to hear what was about to be spoken, how could she ever look Anakin in the eye again? She'd be forced to lie to him every moment they were together from now onwards and it would break her heart as much as it would his. Truth was something he valued highly, _especially_ between them. There were more than enough lies surrounding them already. She couldn't add her own to the mix too.

"I agree." Bail conceded.

"These matters can never be spoken of to others outside of this room." Mon proclaimed, "To openly oppose Palpatine now would be very dangerous. Only we here can be trusted, no one else can be allowed into this secret unless there is unanimous agreement from everyone. Until then, no one can know. _No one."_

There was no other option but to nod along with everyone else. How could she not? While Anakin was so loyal to Palpatine, she couldn't trust him with this knowledge. "Agreed." She said, and the guilt could not be greater if she'd thrust a blade into her beloved's back.

* * *

He walked with the boy – man now, he supposed, who he'd raised from childhood silently as they'd done so many times before. Although, everything was very different now than they had once been when Anakin was a mere rambunctious child and he newly Knighted. Sometimes, Obi-wan caught himself longing to return to those times, _simpler_ times where his largest trouble was forcing the rambunctious child in his care to sit still for meditation. All of that felt like a very long time ago now. The youngling had grown, taller than him now, he noted somewhat proudly, and he had a youngling of his own, with another on the way. Times _did_ change indeed. Anakin's, what could only be described as _,_ _destruction_ of the Jedi codewalked a dangerous line, one he'd always trusted his former apprentice to balance carefully. Attachments had the power to drag one's soul to the Dark Side, but Padme, and later Luke made Anakin _so happy_ that when the truth had come to him, Obi-wan couldn't bear to tear it all away from him. He'd turned a blind eye because, despite his duty as a Jedi, as a _Master_ , he could see the truth of the matter. Anakin's attachments brought him joy, they brought him _focus._ Sometimes, he swore they made a better Jedi out of him, however rebellious. So, he'd allowed the offence – _participated_ in it even, when he himself came to care for Anakin's blue eyed boy as no Jedi should. It all made sense. It _worked_ , for a time.

That time, he feared, was drawing to its conclusion. There was no denying the change in Anakin of late, he brooded more than ever, and Obi-wan sensed the insecure jealousy and prideful thoughts that often plagued him… He wanted to believe that it was merely the cold influence of the Chancellor that was to blame for this change, that the fault lay solely with the man he suspected of a great many crimes, but the truth of it was, the fault was as equally Anakin's as it was Obi-wan's, Palpatine's and Padme's. They were all guilty of placing a heavy burden on the shoulders of a man too young to carry it.

His mind drifted, sometimes, to Shmi Skywalker, the woman he'd never known, the mother of his student, his best friend and the boy he'd raised as well as he could. Obi-wan may never have met Anakin's mother, but at times he wondered, what would she think of Anakin now? Would she like the man he'd raised her son to be? He found himself glancing slightly to the side, at his once-pupil and very much hoped that she would. However, he was much too afraid to ever ask for Anakin's opinion on the matter. There was no use in opening an old wound for re-examination.

"Where were you?" Anakin broke the tender silence suddenly, "I waited for you by the docking bay of the Temple earlier."

Ah. That was a complicated question… The answer may cause a trouble he would not be here to soothe. Better to keep quiet than to run from the storm.

"There was something I had to do before leaving."

"Something I could help with?"

Obi-wan almost chuckled. Almost. The irony was nearly sweet in its sourness. _If only you knew, Anakin._ "Nothing at all." He said, not looking at the man. Beside him, from the corner of his eye, he saw Anakin nod once and they fell into silence once more, for which, the older man was eternally grateful. He didn't enjoy lying to him, but sometimes things had to be looked at from… Other points of view to make sense. And it _would_ make sense sooner than later when he returned. Until, then, a little deception was for the best.

"You're going to miss me out there, when there's no one to save your skin for the eight-thousandth time." Anakin chuckled dryly and somehow, even Obi-wan smiled too. _That_ was the closest he'd seen him return to the witty Padawan he'd known. The glimmer of the past was enjoyably nostalgic. He hadn't realised just how much he'd missed that boy until now. And what he said may very well prove to be true. It had been a while since he'd undertook something of importance without Anakin by his side… It would be a test to see if Kenobi truly could work without Skywalker.

Their walk slowed to a stop by the ramp leading to the ship. "This entire debacle could well end up merely being a wild Bantha chase set up by the Separatists to distract us from the truth of their plans." He could not quite bring himself to believe the war may soon be over. The thought seemed too good, too bright amongst the dark smog that clouded the Republic these past years. Almost a _decade_ now. How could all the suffering, all the _needless_ death across the Galaxy be so close to its eternal conclusion? It hardly felt real. There was much that counted upon him, on his actions and this information proving to be correct. It was a heavy weight on the Jedi Master's soul.

Anakin hesitated opposite him and glanced down to his boots and Obi-wan observed that his mental shields were towering around his thoughts, preventing him from sensing the root of his troubles. Well, he supposed there were plenty of privacies he may wish to keep to himself these days. It was understandable. "Master, I…" His blue gaze was stolen by a call from one of the clones to the left for a long moment, though he suspected that it was merely an excuse to avoid his eye. If that was the truth, then he allowed it. Anakin sometimes needed a little time before he spoke, to sort out the whirlwind of his thoughts. Grievous could wait a few moments longer. For a moment, something akin to hope flickered to life within the Jedi, hope of an apology, or something close enough to be perceived as such… He supposed he wanted to hear Anakin say he understood the Council's decisions of late, and why they felt the way they did about the Chancellor.

Although, more than anything Obi-wan sought reconciliation between them both, to pull each other back what they'd once been, standing side by side with the hairline cracks in their bond repaired for good. He'd hoped for it ever since the Council rejected the request for Anakin's promotion, and he waited still. Now… Before he left Anakin behind without his guidance, alone with the Chancellor, Obi-wan waited with baited breath. At last, their eyes met and he felt the corners of his mouth twitch in anticipation. If he spoke the words he wished to hear, he'd take him into his arms in a forgiving embrace and all would be well.

"Force be with you, Obi-wan."

The harsh sting of disappointment wounded him only momentarily before he smothered it and forced the best smile he could across his stubbornly downturned lips. There'd be time enough for reconciliations later, he supposed. Maybe Anakin simply needed more time to find some focus on the matter.

"Force be with you too, Anakin. Do try not to get into trouble while I'm gone."

This at least, brought a true smile to the other man's mouth as Obi-wan turned on his heel and began the descent down the ramp toward the ship that would carry him to Grievous. If Anakin said something else, he never heard it over the roar of the engines as the clones made preparations to take off and perhaps, if their mission was successful, to end the war.

Force be with them all.


	8. Chapter 8

If he were honest with himself, _truly_ honest, that was, honest as if the cold barrel of a blaster was pointed at his head and the question was asked of him, Anakin would admit there _was_ one part of life on Tatooine which he enjoyed as a boy, and even missed sometimes. The setting of the twin suns was alike nothing else in the Galaxy; he'd spent as many hours staring up at them as there were grains of sand across that planet… He'd wish and wish for something more, _anything_ better for himself, and for his _mother._ He was always lost in thoughts and dreams then, dreams of better lives for everyone he knew, or at least, the ones he felt _deserved_ it. Not everyone did. Something about the sight always held a certain promise to him, then, an inspiration he found in few other places in the same ways. The sunset in Coruscant was different to Tatooine, less special, unnatural, _manmade_. Even now, at twenty-eight standard years old, despite all that had happened to him and everything he'd ever seen or done, when Anakin's mind drifted to home, he thought of warmth and sand. His mind wandered to half-faded memories of sandstorms raging outside the too thin walls of the hovel Watto provided. Or to the soft lullabies that his mom would sing to soothe his mind after another bought of nightmares. Anakin could wish himself breathless that the word _home_ triggered memories of his beloved Naboo, of his time there with Padme, or the soft sway of the water, the gentle breeze rushing through the grass… Of Luke's laughter when he played in the sea, but the sand planet had yet to leave him. Sometimes he feared it never would.

Especially now, as he found himself longing for the sight of the twin suns, as he watched his wife carefully disembark from her private speeder, quietly dismissing Captain Typho for the night and gently lower herself down onto the sofa, gazing out at the sunset as the head of her security flew the ship off to the speeder park. With no sign of Threepio or her handmaidens, Anakin simply gazed at her for a moment, admiring the angel lovingly. Thoughts of twin suns plagued him no longer as her slim fingers caressed her stomach with a content smile and matching sigh, and nothing else had any hope of stealing away his attention. Inside the apartment, he could sense their son, equally happy… Playing with those model ships again… The thought inspired a small smile across Anakin's lips. There truly was no greater beauty than what he saw now. For her, he knew he'd leave it all behind, the Jedi, his ambitions, his achievements – everything. If Padme asked it of him, he would walk into the High Council chambers and drop his lightsaber by the Masters' feet with a smile. If she asked it of him, he'd become the twenty-first of the Lost Twenty. Scandal was coming for them whether he remained or left, with Obi-wan on Grievous' tail, the war would be over sooner than later and the time for all the promises to be kept would be upon them. Soon the entire Galaxy was going to know that Padme Amidala was _his_ wife, and he was _her_ husband. That, she was a Skywalker by name and marriage, and her son and unborn child, too, were his. She was wrong in what she said, all those years ago, in Naboo, when she denied their love. It would not ruin their lives, not their _true_ lives. Their public personas would be whispered about and perhaps even scorned, but what did that matter? They were going to be a _family_ at last. Just like it was always meant to be! Let the gossip mongers have their fun; they couldn't ruin what the Skywalkers had been waiting all this time for.

"It is beautiful, isn't it?" Anakin spoke at last, stepping out from the veil of shadows, "Though not quite as beautiful as you…" Despite himself, he savoured the surprised yelp that fled her lips as her head snapped around to face him. As if her very heart were about to leap out of her chest, a dainty hand came up to rest upon her chest to keep the organ in place as she breathed his name.

" _Anakin…"_ She shook her head and he grinned, walking closer.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean I frighten you, milady." A pretty smile of her own stretched across her mouth as the shock faded.

"It's alright. I just wasn't expecting to see you so soon this evening." Yes, he wasn't supposed to come before nightfall, as per their agreement. But how could he wait? Nightfall seemed like an eternity away, even if it was only mere hours. He offered his hands and Padme took them gratefully, rising from the sofa to come to him.

"I wanted to be here."

"Well, I'm glad you are. But we shouldn't stand outside like this – anyone could see us, especially with your face plastered all over the Holonet every day. Come inside with me." She made to lead him inside, but Anakin caught her wrist and pulled her back with a fond smile. Why hide? The deception would only be for a few days more… Who cared if someone saw them now? _This_ was the time to take liberties and _enjoy_ being together. No more hiding.

"No, stay." Padme sent him a warning glare but indulged him regardless and he could not resist bending to capture her lips for a moment. The sweet taste of her had been calling to him ever since he watched Obi-wan's military transport leave the system. She was all he wanted, the perfect cure to his every ailment. "How do you feel?" Came his quiet whisper when they parted just as slowly as they'd kissed.

His words set her stunning face alight as she reached for his gloved arm and drew it to her belly, and he ran his hand gently across the swell, "this morning wasn't very _pleasant,_ but the sickness is mostly long gone… And I'm very grateful for it."

With a chuckle, his free hand abandoned its post around her wrist to stroke her soft cheek. "And now?"

Her smile fell slightly, and his own was dragged into a frown… Something was wrong. "Ani, come inside."

Fighting back a sigh, he pulled away his hands… He wished he could stay, but time was limited. So he stole a moment to swoop down once more and press a kiss to her hair, revelling in the floral perfume she'd scented the bushy curls with that morning. " _I can't."_ He murmured into her perfect locks, "There is much to be done now that Grievous is soon to be destroyed."

She looked up at him, forcing his head back, "Yes… I heard all about that. Do you think Obi-wan will do it?"

He blinked. "How did you know Obi-wan had been sent? That isn't public knowledge…" Only the Council, he, and the Chancellor knew. It was deemed too dangerous for general knowledge, word could spread, allowing the vile monster to flee once more and send them all into freefall.

"Oh." Padme smiled once more, for a moment her face shifting into her inner politician's before catching herself, "I have my sources, Ani…"

"Your sources are exceptionally well informed."

Her hands came to stroke his cheeks tenderly, "you don't get to be a good Senator if you hear the Galaxy's going on's on the Holonet news, you know."

He smiled, but it died away quickly as his lips chose to thin tightly instead, "if Grievous is indeed where our intelligence suggests, then I'm sure Obi-wan will do what he must to end this war."

She nodded once, slowly, "Luke was _so_ excited when I told him on the comlink earlier. I know, I shouldn't have in case his hopes are dashed, but it made him happy. He'd actually hoped you'd be in charge of the mission, but I'm relieved that you're here." At that, he tore his gaze away to battle down a scowl… He _should_ have been selected to take down Grievous – he was more than experienced enough in the battlefield to take down that rusting bucket of bolts.

"The Chancellor hoped for the same," he admitted quietly, "But the Council believe they knew better." The bitterness he felt seeped into his words, poisoning them with his rage. Now, it was Padme's turn to frown, but he sensed that it was not in his defence.

"Is that really so bad?"

"What do you mean?"

She sighed. "Perhaps it's time that Palpatine was put in his place… I respect the right of the Council to reject his request – or more likely of late – his demand. "

Anakin pulled away from her and took a step or two in the opposite direction, "not you too…" He moaned, tired all of a sudden.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Padme asked and he pinched sharply at the bridge of his nose for a few standard seconds before turning to her again.

"Ask yourself, what would have happened to the Republic if Palpatine was not Chancellor?" It likely would have been destroyed by the Separatists a long time ago – his wisdom and leadership were all that had held what little remained of the Republic together. Everything would be in ruins by now without him.

Disagreeing, Padme shook her head. "I know you may not wish to hear it, Anakin, but I think we may be far closer to peace than we are now if he were not in charge."

Exhaling sharply, he fought to gather his words. "To say that, is to say the war has continued this long for nothing! That – that all of it, the pain and the death… That none of it mattered, that it was for _nothing_." She couldn't truly believe that, she _couldn't_ … She was too smart, too educated on the truth of what they fought for… _Surely_ that wasn't what she meant.

"It is not _meaningless_ , but what has fighting gained us that peace could not?"

His temper flared up beyond his control quicker than he could catch it, but as words of fury filled his mouth, he swallowed them down and the taste was far from a pleasant one. He should not snap at her… Not in her condition… It would not be very… _Husbandly_ of him. But what she said… She was wrong! _His men, his friends had not perished for nothing; this war was leading them to a better time… Palpatine was right. She just couldn't see it._

"For all that people complain about Palpatine's leadership, nobody has thought of another way, a better way – this peaceful manner of things you seem so desperate to enforce is easier to speak of than actually _do._ Would your precious Senate even agree to it? Hm? At least the Chancellor can make a majority vote in his favour."

At this, her eyes rolled and she huffed, utterly irritated. "He can _buy_ votes in his favour, you mean."

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Nothing _._ " She sighed with a shake of her head. "All I know is,Palpatine is leading the Republic in the wrong direction, toward a destruction I fear we may never recover from! Is that the kind of Galaxy you want our children to grow up in?"

"Of course not… I just… I-"

"You what, Anakin? What is it?"

He could hold himself back no longer, the pot spilt over and there was no stopping the sizzling words from flowing now. "I wish I was back out there! Far away from all this political nonsense! At least on the front lines, it's simple, there is _good_ and _bad_ and I know what and who they are." His voice rose with every word and her eyes narrowed into irked slits as her arms came up to cross protectively over her chest. It was a stance she rarely took, so when she did, he _noticed._

"I can see just fine who is _good_ and _bad_ here."

He couldn't believe she would say these things… It wasn't right; she shouldn't spout this kind of garbage. It's like - it was almost like… "You sound like a Separatist!" Anakin accused suddenly and her entire angry demeanour slipped away as she stepped toward him, eyes wide and pleading.

"Don't you see? With the Separatist forces hanging by a string Obi-wan is on his way to sever, Palpatine should be reaching out to their leaders, offering a ceasefire while they negotiate terms of peace! It should have happened the moment news broke of Count Dooku's death by your hand. But he's letting the fighting grow worse by the day – you have some influence over the Chancellor now, can't you speak with him? Tell him to reach out and end this madness while he still can!"

"Is that an _order_ , milady?!" He snarled, and she was stunned to silence. Enough! He'd had enough. Why did _everyone_ have their own agenda these days? Why was nothing ever simple, _easy_? Everyone around him wanted something from him, for him to do something, _be_ someone and – and he _hated it._ There was no more peace anymore, or at least, that was what it felt like.

"Ani… What…?" She gasped and stepped backwards, but he practically lunged toward her, closing the small distance she put between them.

"What about _my_ opinion?" He barked, "Did you ever think to ask for that? Did you consider for a moment that I may not _agree_ with you? That I think Palpatine is handling things the right way?" When was the last time he hadn't felt the burn of anger singeing his flesh? Anakin could not remember… He was filled with it, consumed, dominated by the roaring beast. Perhaps it was all he had left.

At his anger, however, she looked horrified. " _The right way…?_ " Came her low, disbelieving whisper, "Anakin, thousands – possibly _millions_ of beings are dying every day because of Palpatine's way!"

"We're at _war_ , Padme!" Anakin groaned, "People die in wars, that's the reality – I've seen it, remember? I've _fought_ in it."

Once, and then twice, her mouth opened just to fall shut again. He'd silenced her. A rare feat from even the most skilled politicians in the Galaxy and rarer still from Anakin himself… His words had rocked her, he could see that, but what he said was truth. It was necessary. She needed to hear it from someone. "I – I just…" She fumbled, "I only asked that –"

" _Everyone_ has _something_ to ask these days!" He turned his back on her, cloak swaying behind him, and stormed to the other side of the veranda, heavy boots thundering across the expensive marble flooring. Blue eyes followed the skytraffic as it hummed past without a moment's pause, mimicking the movement of his anger as it coursed through his blood. So caught up in it, he did not sense her approach until an unsure hand laid itself upon his back, and even through the layers of his clothing, Anakin felt her as she stroked him soothingly.

"Ani, what's bothering you? _Really_ bothering you?" Now it was Anakin's turn to open his mouth and produce silence… What bothered him? Where could he ever begin? Dreams, friends, politics, wars… His shoulders _ached_ with it all resting upon him. Because it _did_ , everything was on him. He was the Chosen One, son of the Force, destined to save the Galaxy… How could one man ever return balance to the Force if he cannot even find a way to save his own family? He was better than this, he _knew_ he was! He was a better Jedi than he'd been of late, a better _man._ He was just so… So… lost.

Unable to speak the words on his mind, Anakin avoided here eye. It was easier than facing her while he lied. "Nothing." And then, after a moment, he amended, "nothing you can help with." All around her, the Force prickled, and he sensed her worry spike higher as she moved, stepping around his body to the very edge of the balcony, so close to its cliff that a concern of his own was born. If she were to trip or stumble even slightly, then it could be fatal… Suddenly, his one true bother was her proximity to the ledge.

That was, until he felt it, a tingling sensation flowing from her Force signature, that confirmed his earlier suspicion. Something wasn't right; she wasn't the same as usual. Padme's Force signature was open and loving, it embraced everything that it touched, but for the first time since he'd known her, it was closed off, barely reaching out to brush against his own before retreating back into the shadows of her soul… What…? It was unlike her. It reeked of something hidden, of secrecy… It was deception. _That's_ what he sensed from her. His brows drew close in a hard frown as he chased her once soothing presence… He was right, she _was_ closed off. What little he'd taught her about shielding her mind was at play now, his mental touch bounced back, denied by the thick walls she'd surrounded herself with.

 _What are you hiding?_

It was only a moment later, when his confusion drew his gaze to her at last, that Anakin saw the movement of her lips, and realised she'd been speaking this whole time. "… Let me help you. Please don't shut me out, my love." With that, the ashes of his fury were lit once more. So she was a hypocrite now, too? What else about her had changed of late without his noticing? How could she have the audacity to say such things to him now, _now_ , when she hid away secrets from him? His silence existed only to protect her, to keep her unburdened by the troubles that faced her ahead – why was she keeping secrets? What could there possibly be to protect him from? Nothing.

His head shook without his permission and his hands curled into tight fists. "That's a little rich, don't you think?"

Padme reeled, taken aback, so he bit into his inner cheek to pull together some scrap of control. _Do not snap. Do not yell. She's heavy with child… And Luke is close by… Keep calm._ Despite his anger, he knew better than to raise his voice not only outside, but with his _child_ so close by… It would be wrong. So his teeth grit together as the words he needed to speak rose in his throat. "You're hiding something from me. I can sense it." Whatever it was, she worked hard to keep it buried, away from his prying gaze. It was just beyond his reach, and purposely so.

It took a moment, before she gave him any reaction, but when she did, it was not what he expected. He imagined her politician's face sliding on again, the blank, emotionless slate she used in the Senate to slip into place in order to talk him around and make him forget about any secrecy. But that's not what happened. Instead, her beautiful face took light with perhaps the fakest smile he'd ever seen. " _Nothing!"_ Her head shook too enthusiastically. She always was a terrible liar. "You're tired and stressed. It's all in your imagination." Two small, delicate hands reached up to caress his the sides of his head, through the twists of his curls softly, while that same mummer's smile masked her face, "we have so little time together right now, please don't ruin this evening. _Please,_ just come inside with me… Forget about everything else tonight and come inside. Luke is waiting in there, let's go in together and just be together, all three of us, as a family. No war, no politics, just us and our love… Just like you told me, you _always_ told me, _that's_ all that matters."

Her hands fell to his chest and he knew what she was doing… Her invitation was genuine, but it was also a distraction from the topic at hand. And yet, Anakin was tempted. So sweetly tempted that there was nothing else in the entire Galaxy he desired more than to let his wife lead him inside their home, to their son and a meal and perhaps even a Holovid or two… But he couldn't remember how it felt to not be consumed by this war, or the politics driving it. He couldn't recall a time, a _moment_ anymore, where he felt like a mere man, a husband, a father and nothing else. Not now.

Gently, he wrapped his hands around her wrists and tugged her touch from his body and released her. "I have to go." And without another word, Anakin turned and rounded her body, making toward his hovering Starfighter. Inside his specialised spot in the ship, Artoo whimpered with a chime that sounded sad even to his ears. But that was not what the Jedi focused upon. All he could think about was the swell of guilt in this stomach and the imagined flash of the hurt rejection he'd brought to his Angel's face as he left.

* * *

General Grievous bent the knee before the blue flickering hologram of his Master. "Lord Sidious." He greeted the image and rocked forward with an almighty wheeze that clawed at what remained of his lungs. The Sith Lord was silent for several moments, but the General dared not look up to meet his eyes. Without Count Dooku, this was left to him and he cared not for the new duty. He was a killer, a warrior, not a being of pomp and ceremony.

At last, the Master spoke. " _Has the Separatist council been moved to the Mustafar System as I requested?"_

He calmed his choked cough long enough to rasp a response, "It has been done. Their ship should be landing this very moment, my Lord."

" _Good."_ The hooded figure drawled, " _You have done well, General. Very well. Now you must be ready for the imminent arrival of the Jedi… Our trap has been set and your victim is on his way. This is your chance to add a new lightsaber to your… Collection."_ Sidious cackled coldly at a joke the General did not understand. Nor held any interest in. The humour of his Master meant nothing to him.

"Who?" He demanded as flickers of excitement awoke within his mechanical organs. A new Jedi victim was always a good way to please his Master and remind the scum of their place in the Galaxy.

" _Kenobi."_

"Alone? Or will Skywalker join us too? The pair are rarely separated."

"T _his time, they are. I have seen to it that Skywalker is… Otherwise occupied. Kenobi is alone._ "

If the General were capable of the act, he'd have smiled at such news. He would _enjoy_ tearing Kenobi limb from limb. "The Jedi will die, Master." He hissed as another fit of coughing overtook his body, almost toppling him entirely.

" _I trust that you will keep your word. And soon, when Kenobi is dead, you shall meet my new apprentice."_


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Thank you for the wonderful reviews on the last chapter! I'll respond to those along with any on this chapter tomorrow. I wanted to get this chapter up quickly before I fall back into the hole of college assessments. Enjoy!**_

For several long hours, Anakin sat in his quarters, alone, under the pretence of much-needed meditation. It wasn't _far_ from a lie. He _did_ need to meditate, but that wasn't what he did. When he'd come, still hot from his fight with Padme, he tore off his thick cloak, rid himself of the Jedi boots on his feet and roughly peeled away his robes and tabard, letting the clothing fall to the floor in a disastrous heap. He _had_ planned to meditate, to find the focus he'd lost in the past few days, and to do that, he needed to be comfortable, and he was at his most comfortable in a state of undress. The itching weight of his robes was a distraction, one he didn't need when his mind was already so torn. But no matter how long he tried, there was no hope of losing himself within the Force tonight. _Something_ distracted him, whether it was footsteps in the hallway outside his quarters, his racing thoughts or the shiver of cold air in the room.

It was hopeless.

He never liked it here, the too small bed left his limbs sore and stiff every morning, and the lack of allowed possessions left the room sparse and bare. It fell short of _home._ It wasn't his home; it was another branch of his deception. Since marrying Padme, he'd hardly been here. Or at least, he rarely slept here anymore. Anakin did what he could to sprinkle parts of himself into the tiny chamber, from the desk he'd… _Borrowed_ from the Senate building four years ago, to the scattered piles of droid pieces from attempted remodelling's or reworking's, to the flimsi pinned up onto the wall with carefully drawn sketches of those who took his inspiration. The Jedi's eyes were drawn to them now, black lines and precise smudges came together to form lifelike copies of his wife and son, together, alone, there were so many it was difficult to count. When he missed them, out on the field, it was soothing to recreate their faces from memory and trace the lines with his fingers… For a moment his heart ached for them, though they were a mere five or so minutes from the Temple.

He _could_ go there, to Padme's apartment and slip beneath the sheets with her, whispering words of apology into her hair and sleep until the sun rose. But that would mean facing her. It would mean facing _Luke._ He would go to them soon, but not tonight. Still, selfishly, he longed for them both, to surround himself with their light so much that no darkness could touch him again.

He couldn't go… But perhaps… The comm which laid abandoned on the desk called to him suddenly and Anakin raised a hand and brought it to him without much concentration. If he couldn't be there with her, he _could_ speak to her. That was, if Padme was willing. Who knows how she felt toward him after that evening? Was she angry that he left? Well, he was angry too… But not so much anymore. They could talk about secrets and deception another time, but not now. Softly, he ran his fingers across the comm and felt the corners of his lips twitch… Such a small, beloved piece of technology. It was a private line, untraceable. _Not_ Jedi standard. But it _was_ a gift, given to him years ago now, after Luke's birth when he was forced to leave his wife and new-born son behind to fight all over again. It'd torn his heart into pieces then, the thought of leaving them behind with _nothing_ but the memory of Luke's bright blue eyes and Padme's kiss. So the gift, a means of communication with those he wasn't supposed to speak to, was a saviour, and at times, his reminder to _live._

He needed that reminder now.

She answered only a few moments after he reached out, as if she'd been waiting, and guilt seared through his chest. " _Ani?"_ Her voice was thick with tiredness, confirming his suspicion. She _had_ been waiting for him. And he'd disappointed her. Again. Just how had he kept her up, waiting, _hoping_ he would make contact? " _It's so late… Where are you?"_

He swung his legs off the side of the bed and rested his elbows on his thighs. Where was he? He hadn't even left the Temple. It took everything in his power to swallow down the guilt he felt and run the cold durasteel fingers of his cybernetic arm through his hair. What he was about to do… How could he? After being so furious with her for whatever she kept from him, he was now on the cusp of lying to her. To _her_ , his wife of all beings. What kind of a man was he? "Padme…" He breathed her name, but for once it brought him no solace. "I – I won't make it back to you tonight… I have to be here."

Silence. Padme said nothing for several agonising moments, an entire forever passed before she spoke and for one of those moments, Anakin wondered if sleep had claimed her while he spoke. Unfortunately, he was wrong, because, at last, she answered. " _Oh."_ Oh. _Oh_. What did _'oh_ ' mean? He asked the question but knew to his bones _exactly_ what it meant. He realised, miserably, that she didn't believe him. " _I see. Well, I'll miss you."_ Why was she doing this? She _knew_ he lied but played along anyway… He'd never heard her sound so… Tired and _defeated_ and Anakin truly loathed himself in this moment more than he ever had. His eyes burned with the desire to weep, and he held his composure like a pile of sand cupped in his hands… It was slipping away faster than he could ever hope to control.

"I'll miss you too. All three of you." And then, to regain some control of himself, he added, "I'm quickly growing accustomed to the baby kicking at my ribs all night." And he heard her laugh, tiredly, or perhaps even tearily?

" _How do you think I feel?_ " They both fell into blissful, joint, albeit quiet, laughter together and for that one, blessed moment; Anakin could pretend that everything was alright. " _You know, Ani, I decided on a name for her tonight."_ Padme ended their laughter, and the revelation drew an amused frown across the Jedi's face. " _I'd hoped to tell you tonight when you came back."_ She picked the baby's name? Tonight? He wished he could see her now, to run his fingers across her stomach where their baby grew because truthfully, _shamefully,_ naming her hadn't even occurred to him. How could he have forgotten something so, _so_ , important? His child, his baby girl, he'd barely thought of her at all these past few days.

"Don't I get a say in such things?"

" _We had an agreement."_ The musical tinkle of her laugh danced around the room, " _You named Luke, now it's my turn_." Yes, he had promised that, hadn't he? He remembered it now… It was one lazy afternoon together in their bed in Varykino, watching their baby sleep beside them with hushed whispers about ' _the next one'._ Well, he had faith in Padme's choice; he was sure whatever choice she made would suit the little angel inside her.

"Well then, tell me!" He laughed quietly as excited elation spread throughout his body, every inch of his skin tingled with anticipation to hear Padme's choice. They could call their little girl by name now, and not before time, too. Luke had his name almost as soon as they knew he was a boy… No matter, he couldn't wait to relive long nights laid awake simply talking to the baby, saying her name and dipping into her tiny little Force signature... He'd done it so often with Luke that, when at last he'd laid eyes on the squirming boy, Anakin felt like he'd already known him a lifetime… Soon it would be the same with their girl. His darling daughter, the little Skywalker Princess… _If only he could meet her now…_ He could hardly stand to wait.

" _I'm afraid; you're going to have to wait until she's born. I want it to be a surprise."_ Came her response, and strangely, Anakin felt no disappointment at her words. Only his excitement growing tenfold. Perhaps even a hundredfold. It was something to anticipate, a moment to covet in his imagination, to –

Padme's screams rang in his ears suddenly.

Her face, pale and exhausted flashed before his eyes as the pain cut through her beyond what she could withstand, behind her, the baby's cries grew louder and louder and Anakin almost dropped the comm to the floor with a startled gasp. _No!_ Not now… Not again… He _couldn't_ see that again, not ever. Why was this happening again? He wasn't even _asleep_!

 _It's a vision._ It had to be.

Padme was going to die, and if he did nothing to save her, it would be _his fault._

He couldn't lose her. He couldn't lose her. He couldn't… He couldn't _live_ without her. Her very breath was his purpose, his lifeblood, his _will_ to live. He _wouldn't_ lose her, he wouldn't let her die. Not when he could find the _power_ to save her, he was strong enough to do it. He was the most powerful Jedi alive! Even – even _death_ would bow to his will if he commanded that she live. It _had_ to! If she died, the Galaxy would lose its light, its music and life. The stars would burn out one by one until only blackness reigned. Without Padme, there was nothing… Nothing but pain, and loss and he wouldn't let that happen. He'd sooner tear the Galaxy apart piece by piece than know one day without her taking breath.

" _Ani?"_ Her sweet voice pulled him back, drawing him away from the brink and toward her warmth once more. She was alive, she was still alive and he would see to it that she stayed that way. There must be a way… There _had_ to be. " _Is something wrong?"_

"I – I'm fine." Or at least, he would be, when he saved her.

" _Alright… You will come home tomorrow, won't you?"_

Carefully, he switched the comm into his cybernetic hand and rubbed his tired eyes with his flesh fingers, fighting back a sigh. "Yes, I'll be there. I promise." Through the line, he heard her yawn and felt his own exhaustion grow in response. It was late… Far past time they were both asleep. Though, he feared that sleep wasn't for him tonight. It hadn't been his friend of late. "You're tired, Padme. Get some rest." He wished she hadn't bothered to wait for him; she deserved all the peace she could get now. _She needed her strength._

Anakin could practically _hear_ the smile in her voice as she spoke, " _I would… But I'm currently being treated to the wonderful sound of your son snoring beside me. He had a bad dream earlier… Came in here hoping to find you but…"_ She trailed off, and his heart clenched tightly. Luke had a nightmare? And he'd come looking for him for comfort… Suddenly, the Jedi threw himself off of the bed and roughly yanked at his boots to pull them onto his feet. _What was he thinking?_ He should be _there_ , with them! He couldn't just hide himself away here because of a fight, because he was afraid to face her…

Because he _was_ afraid to face Padme.

It was nearly impossible to look her in the eye while he heard her cries of pain night after night, while he watched her beg him to make it stop but was utterly powerless to… He couldn't stand to look his son in the eye knowing that if he was too weak to save her, Luke would lose his mother just as Anakin would lose his wife… He belonged there with them, but he _couldn't_ be there. Not now.

He took a long, shuddering breath, to compose himself, and realised he was trembling. _Weak. He was a weak man._

The arm of durasteel came up to rest on the cold door and he leant his forehead against it. "I – I'll be there tomorrow."

" _Alright… Sleep well, my love."_

"You too. Kiss Luke for me."

" _I love you, Anakin."_

He murmured those precious words in return and meant _every_ syllable before ending the contact.

* * *

His eyes snapped open with a start, and his lungs gasped in a greedy breath of air before Anakin could truly register his surroundings… All around him was thick blackness, it was so dark that he could not even see his own hand when he brought it up, hear his eyes. Even when he held it so close that his breath fanned against his palm. Where was he? _What_ was this? He reached, instinctively, for his lightsaber, but found an empty space where it usually hung from his belt. What…? His chest heaved in anticipation, but for what, he did not know. _Something was happening…_

Suddenly, from above, from below, from both left and right, came a voice, agonisingly familiar and yet Anakin knew he'd never heard it before. " _Here, Skywalker stands."_ It boomed. " _Son of the Force, son of two, or perhaps even three…"_

His body whirled around, tense and desperate to find the source of the words. "Who are you?!" He demanded, and his voice echoed for a moment. But there was no answer. Silence fell over the darkness once more, seconds past, and then minutes before the deafening entity spoke again.

" _Master of one, you were. Master of none, you are."_

What was that supposed to mean? Ahsoka? What did she have to do with any of this? He hadn't seen her in years –before Luke was born. She could be _anywhere_ in the Galaxy by now. He walked further into the blackness ahead, to follow the voice, but nothing changed. He came closer to nothing no matter how far he stepped. Where in the Galaxy was he? Every inch of his skin prickled with cold fear. Without his lightsaber, he felt exposed, threatened… Defenceless.

" _Heed these warnings, if you are wise._ " It came again, making Anakin start. " _If not, the darkness shall rise."_ He frowned and spun, futilely. There was _nothing_. " _Two you shall be. First one, and then another, and then one once more."_

"Who are you?!" He cried as loudly as he could and did not wait for the words to echo this time, "What does this mean?" Two he would be…? It made no sense! What was he supposed to learn from this? The voice returned again, but it held no answers, only more riddles.

" _A mother floats along the lake of death. Her path, you have already set. A boy lost in the flames you shall find. The infant, so near, so far, but never on your mind."_ A mother? His mind raced to make any sense of the riddles the voice spoke but he had no idea what to make of the words. Whose mother did it speak of? His own? But Shmi was already dead… He – he didn't set her path, did he? It was the Sand people – it was _them_ , not Anakin! But that wasn't all it said…

"What are you talking about?!" He roared, frustration getting the better of him. A boy lost in flames? He didn't understand… What about the infant? The baby! It had to mean the baby. It was close to her delivery, but that didn't work with everything else it said. There _had_ to be a meaning… Why else would this being say all of this?

" _Three battles you will fight. One in flight, for protection. One in the clouds for realisation. And one where the stars bear witness. For betrayal, and love."_ Anakin shook his head, running two hands through his hair with an irritated growl. How was he to understand anything if it just _kept_ speaking? " _A lonely pyre is set alight, but only eyes of blue truly mourn for you."_ Before he had a chance to think upon those words, a bright burst of blinding white light bleed into the room as a loud, _creak_ caught his attention. Just ahead, a door he hadn't seen, just as black as the darkness slowly crept open and the light grew brighter still so that he was forced to glance away sharply.

It was too bright… But Anakin would happily take the white over the black, at least within the light; he would be able to see what was around him. The Jedi took off, running as quickly as his legs would carry him toward the door, and it grew closer and closer until he was within reach and then, a voice returned. Not the riddler's voice, but another. A strange, foul, breathing drowned out the silence and gave Anakin pause. It was not human, the breathing… It was almost like… Like a Droid's, if they could breathe. And carried extremely damaged lungs. The breathing came from within the light, he realised. In and out, in and out, it breathed and breathed and Anakin grew more unsettled every time. No… He stepped backwards. Whatever was in there was not for him. He didn't want to see it. But the floor shifted beneath his feet, like a carpet being tugged, and he turned to run in the opposite direction. However, he found himself dragged along, no matter how quickly he ran, toward the door. As he reached it, the breathing stopped, and his ears were filled instead by a piercing cry.

A _child's_ cry.

He was thrown inside the door, and the moment he passed the threshold, it slammed shut, trapping him inside. Every inch of Anakin trembled in fear… He didn't belong here; he didn't want to be here. His fear kept him facing the door, almost frozen to the spot. Once he turned, he felt that, quite literally, there would be no turning back. He wasn't ready… He didn't want this… It felt wrong. He waited several minutes, in the hope that, at the very least, his breath would settle into something calmer, more controlled. But it did not. A small whimper drew his gaze, at last, over his shoulder, eyes wide and as close to _terrified_ as he'd ever been.

 _Luke_!

Huddled against the opposite wall was Luke, and Anakin's body swung around to see the boy better. What was he doing here? But, as he turned, something shifted. Horrifically. His son sat in the middle of a puddle of dark, crimson blood, the sight unmistakable. It pulled a strangled cry of panic from the father's lips. The blood had stained the boy's clothes beyond compare, and if he squinted, it seemed to seep from his right arm where he held it close to his chest. What happened?! _Who did this?!_

"Luke!" Anakin called, but almost fell backwards in shock as the voice that left his lips was not his own. Cold air began to blast from below them, from beneath the floor somehow as his shaking son slowly looked up to peer at him, revealing a gruesome, angry red bruise around his eye. Something terrible had happened and Anakin's knees quaked beneath his weight. _No!_ Not Luke… Not his beloved, precious Luke… He'd take _any_ torture in the Galaxy if it meant his son would never so much as slice his finger on a piece of flimsi again.

He reached out to the boy with his flesh hand, but his breath caught in his throat to find it, too, wrapped in a thick black glove, but Anakin wasted no time thinking about it beyond the momentary shock. "Luke!" He cried out again, and just like before, the voice was not his own. It was a deep, mechanical sound that he did not recognise. "Luke, it's alright… Come here. It's me. I'm right here… Your father is right here." At his words, Luke's eyes widened, shocked and – and _afraid?_ His big blue eyes filled with unmistakable dread and he _screamed._

Anakin threw himself upward on the bed with a cry, cold yet his body was slick with sweat and his chest rose and fell rapidly with heavy pants. It was a dream… Another dream… The small chamber was dark, but the pale moonlight illuminated everything just enough to see without the aid of a light. _It was just a dream._ It was only a dream… It wasn't real… It was just another dream…

But deep down, he knew without question, that it was no dream.

It was a warning.

* * *

"Now that the war may be over in a matter of days, we must ask ourselves, what happens next?" Padme spoke confidently, despite the pain in her back that begged her repositioning… Her bed sounded like the perfect cure, but alas, there were things to attend to. _This_ was what she disliked about pregnancy. The uncomfortable final weeks were the worst part, alongside the change in her body and sudden lack of stamina _and_ the extra weight could be a rather large pain in the backside… Truthfully, she just _didn't_ enjoy pregnancy. The beautiful gift inside her was _more_ than worth all the troubles, of course, but the old desire she once had for a large family felt rather… Muted now. Perhaps just the two children would be enough. Subtly, she tried to shift, just slightly, but the movement only added to the pain. Well, nothing could be done now… This was a very important meeting, she _had_ to focus.

No one dared answer her question for several moments. That was, until Bail sat forward to place his caff onto the table. "The very _moment_ the war ends, Palpatine must remove his governors."

"Surely," she shook her head, "there's no need to make him do such a thing. As I said before, Senator, the Senate voted him the emergency powers _only_ for the duration of the war. Now that the emergency is over –"

"You are right," Chi Eekway cut her off, "And yet, only Palpatine has the power to decide when the emergency truly ends. The moment the Senate voted in his favour, we made ourselves powerless." Beside her, Mon hummed in frustrated agreement, as her slim fingers picked at the pristine white sleeve of her gown.

"I have heard much whispering of late. There are some within the Senate who would like to return things to how they once were. Many Senators and many more _people_ are ready and willing to do what must be done to restore order. Even fight, if need me."

Those were _dangerous_ words. Suddenly, Padme was grateful that she'd dismissed her staff for the day and sent Threepio to recharge. "Mon, these are precarious times. These whispered threats you have overheard could easily send us into another war!" Three little thumps pulsed against the carefully hidden swell of her stomach and served as a powerful reminder of just what she fought for, of _why_ this had to be done. As long as peace was once more secured, she could carry fewer regrets when she…

She could not think about that right now. Nor could she lay a hand where her child kicked despite how badly she wanted to. _Later,_ she promised herself, _there would be time enough for that later._ When Luke came home from his schooling and Anakin returned to them as himself, not as the stranger he'd come to feel like these past few days. Then everything would be alright.

"Another war is the very last thing any of us want." Bail sent Mon a strange look, almost like the glares she'd given to Luke more than once in the heat of a reprimand. Odd. But it worked, the redheaded Senator shrunk back into her seat without another word. "A political solution is the best for us all, not more violence." He continued.

Padme sighed quietly, shaking her head. This was getting them nowhere. But perhaps, what they'd done… The petition stored carefully in the document reader, _could_. That at least had the potential to bring about change, to make Palpatine open his eyes to the reality of people's opinions about his leadership. "With the signatures of two thousand Senators," she began hopefully, but Mon spoke up once more.

"We have much less than we would need to subvert the majority in his favour as he plans to further amend the constitution." They were all quietened by that truth… Democracy favoured the vote of the majority, and the worst enemy of democracy had the majority. What beautiful irony. The tip of Padme's tongue flicked out to wet her dry lips and with another thump against her stomach, she found the courage to speak.

"Even still, I am willing to present this petition to Palpatine. While not the majority, two thousand beings pledging their support to us is nothing to be ignored. But, I…" Now the dangerous words lingered on her own tongue and she faltered slightly. "I think – I believe we should reach out to the Jedi." They could help their cause immeasurably. If the Jedi too supported this petition, Palpatine would _have_ to leave the constitution how it was, and… And it would mean she no longer had to lie to Anakin. He _knew_ she was hiding something and had told her as much the other day in their spat. Perhaps that was why he hadn't wished to come home last night… His lie stung, but realising her own actions of late had helped to create the distance between them _ached._ This was the time they were supposed to be at their closest… Just how it was when she'd been this close to delivering Luke… Back then, in Naboo, there was no reality to haunt them. Nothing to come between them as they welcomed their precious baby boy into the world.

She yearned for it to be the same now, to experience that bliss again, but there was _so much_ in the way of it this time. If – if Anakin's dreams were to be believed… And the birth of her daughter would indeed be her death, then Padme wanted to die on Naboo, with Anakin by her side and Luke not far – but far enough not to see – with her baby in her arms. She wanted so much to know her family were close by, together and ready to not only give her their goodbyes but to rally around her husband and children too. She wanted to look at the balcony where her first kiss with Anakin took place, where they'd pledged their lives to one another forever, one last time, to see Luke play in the sand, to hear her sister's laugh and her mother's bedtime stories for Luke, Ryoo and Pooja, to see her father embrace Anakin and Darred… She wanted to go _home._

But sometimes, you don't get what you want. Emdee said just this morning that she had only a week at most before the baby would come… _A week._ There wasn't _nearly_ enough time for all she needed to do – she _had_ to make some change, some progress with peace being returned to the Galaxy for the sake of her children, and that couldn't be ignored for selfish reasons no matter how she wished it could. The harsh truth of the matter was, Padme would never return to Naboo alive. She knew that now. There would be no goodbyes, at least on her part… She would not be granted final days with her whole family together. This war had already taken so much from them, and now… Now it had taken that too. A week was a frighteningly short time when one had so much to do… But what she feared there would be no time for the most, was peace between her and Anakin. To not resolve all issues between them before… Before she… It would break her heart eternally… And she dreaded to imagine what it would do to him.

Luke was still young… Young enough to live past his grief… The sad truth was, it was likely her memory would be a faint one in his mind… When he grew older, he may forget her embraces, the feel of her kiss on his cheek and the sound of her lullabies would fade from his memory. His mind would be filled with far more days without her than with. And her sweet girl… The thought nearly drew a sob from the Senator. Her baby girl would never remember her at all. _That_ was why she had to stand up to Palpatine, to leave a lasting legacy of _peace_ for her children… If they could only remember her by that, at least, then Padme could go to her death easier.

"Padme?" Mon's voice broke her away from her thoughts to see her fellow Senators all looking at her, and she flushed… This was not the time for such thoughts.

"I'm sorry… What were you saying?"

Bana Breemu frowned, "We were _saying_ , involving the Jedi would be very risky."

"Yes, we have no idea where the Jedi stand in all this. For all we know, their might favour Palpatine's ways." Mon spoke and a few others murmured agreements.

 _One of them certainly does,_ she thought bitterly. "I'm sure they're no happier with any of this than we are!"

Chi Eekway spoke next. "And how would _you_ know of the Jedi's feelings, Senator Amidala?"

Padme felt herself flush again, but rose her chin with a confidence she far from felt. ""I have friends among the Jedi, _good_ friends. People I trust wholeheartedly."

There was silence for a moment before Senator Giddean Danu spoke up. "Senator Amidala is correct. The Jedi are the moral authority of this Galaxy… If they stood with us and declared their support as we openly opposed the Chancellor, then many would look more favourably upon our arguments than they would otherwise."

Breemu sighed heavily and shook her head, "But the Jedi are not as… _Popular_ as they once were. Only a few have retained their celebrity status throughout this war, and even fewer are still beloved by the public." _Yes, and her Ani was one of them._ But there would be no talking him around to their side, his loyalty to those he loved could at times become his strongest fault. But she _had_ to try… If her fate was approaching as quickly as it seemed, then she _had_ to speak with him, to make everything right… To end her lies. She simply _could not_ spend her final days lying to her _husband_. It was unthinkable. What would he think of her when she was gone, unable to defend what she'd done?

"Then, let me involve just one Jedi." Padme began. "There is someone among their ranks who I know I can trust entirely, someone who longs for peace and security _just_ as much as you or I…" She trailed off in horrified silence when the face of the Jedi she spoke was not her husband's.

She thought of Obi-Wan when she spoke those words.

But – but she _wanted_ to tell Anakin, to work with him… To spend these last days working toward diplomacy with her love, so that there would be no more dishonesty between them. All of this – it was for Anakin, to involve him… Because she _hated_ to lie to him, despised keeping secrets from him and yet, when she thought of trust, it was not her love her mind brought to her. It was his mentor, one of her oldest friends and for one sickening moment, she was forced to consider… Did she _trust_ her husband?

And the heart-wrenching answer, was _no._ She once did… She knew that. There was a time where she trusted him implicitly, in all things, without hesitation but now… _What had this war done to them?_

Senator Fang Zar was next to speak, pulling the gaze of her burning eyes to the ageing man, "We don't need to reach out to the Jedi, Senator. Let the Chancellor have his majority… When you present our petition to him, his eyes shall be opened to the growing opposition, and then, change will follow."

"Perhaps… But what we must ask ourselves, is this coming change for the better?" Padme had no answer for Danu's question. She said nothing and faced no one. Her energy was spent on fighting back the sting of the tears that had assaulted her eyes upon her realisation and what she supposed was the death of her pretence. The trust she once held in her husband had been gone for a long time, she just could not see it until now. Was it her fault for opposing the Chancellor when she knew he looked up to the man? Or his, for blindly allowing friendship to dictate his loyalty… For perhaps, becoming more loyal to the Chancellor than to her.

For her part in all of this, in the struggles they faced now, in the growing tension between them, the space and mistrust… She was sorry.

 _I'm sorry, Anakin. I'm so, so sorry._


	10. Chapter 10

As dawn gave way to the stirrings of daylight and the inhabitants of Coruscant awoke and pulled themselves from their beds, the Chancellor of the Republic, the most _powerful_ man in the entire Galaxy stood quietly, in a manner which could, to any witness, be described as _peaceful._ With his aged, frail hands clasped politely behind his back, the man gave an appearance of both wisdom and decorum at once. At a single glance, Sheev Palpatine could be mistaken for any old man, flesh pale and wrinkled after long years warming his bones, and white wisps of hair around his head, fading just slightly. He could be anyone's grandfather or elderly uncle… It was a careful appearance, one meticulously pieced together so thoroughly that the few whose gazes had begun to spy the cracks which hinted at what lay beneath, were laughed off. The Chancellor was a _good man_ , a warm man. He was the man for the Republic. Democracy's _greatest_ friend.

That was indeed what he desired they believe.

Sheev Palpatine was nothing. He was a character whose face he wore in the daylight to string his Senatorial puppets to his very will. Little did they know the tune they danced to was not the gentle old man's, but that of Darth Sidious. Lord of the Sith. Not even the so-called greatest Jedi in existence could smell the scent of darkness from his soul. And by greatest, he did not mean Skywalker. Skywalker held every tool in his arsenal he'd need to become the best, but he had not been allowed to grow within the stifling Order. The raw power Sidious sensed that flowed beneath the boy's veins was addictive… The _potential…_ And the fools who ran the Jedi Order had long ago plunged themselves into the gluttony of wilful blindness so deeply that they did not allow themselves to see what they had. Jealousy and mistrust thrived amongst their Council and it only made his agenda all the easier to achieve. It was a wonder that the Jedi way had not died out years ago! No matter, their twilight was fast approaching. The final daylight of the Jedi was almost here and Sidious's thin lips parted in a cruel grin at the thought. Let them shine just a little longer… Their memory would be stamped out like the last kindles of a dying flame. And Skywalker was going to help him do it.

All of this was years in the making. _Decades._ Plans, plots and prophecies borne in the depths of the minds of Sidious and Plagueis would bring the Galaxy to its knees. And it had been so easy to fool the so _wise_ and just Jedi into believing in the tales of their chosen hero. The Chosen One? _Ha!_ The Jedi had no Chosen One predicted to restore their unbalanced ideal of balance to the Galaxy… That was why they were destined to fall. They trusted too much in a tale of someone who'd shape the Galaxy into something they _wanted_ it to be… A universe of light without shadow. But without the shadow, there could be no light. There would always be darkness and light, forever entangled, forever at battle. The light had dominated for so long, that it'd grown lazy and self-serving. And now, it was the time for _darkness_ to reign. Once more, the Sith would _rule_ the Galaxy… The Jedi would be gone, and their fated Chosen One would stand by Sidious' side as they burned.

Anakin Skywalker was no Chosen One of the Jedi. It was the greatest farce in history! He'd written every word of the prophecy with his Master before anyone who ruled the Jedi Council had taken their first breaths! Son of the Force? That, the boy was not. He was son of _Sith._ Created by Sidious' Master as a vessel, a means to the immortality he'd _craved_ beyond all other desires. A young body, filled with power ready for his mind to rule. Plagueis planned to live through Skywalker for an eternity, and now Sidious planned to use him to burn the Republic to _dust._ _Chosen One…_ If Anakin was a Chosen One, then he was the Chosen One of the _Sith._ And his destiny was upon them all. It had been so easy to guide the boy here. _Disgustingly_ easy. After Sidious sensed the life Padme carried within her, inspiration struck. Once he designed the dream that assaulted Skywalker's mind night after night, he'd hardly had to do anything at all. Stroke the boy's ego, set him up for failures within the Jedi Order. He'd already set him onto the path to darkness many rotations ago, by sending Dooku to pay the savages on Tatooine who lingered in the sand to murder the surrogate who'd carried his Master's seed to life. Her death awoke the darkness Sidious knew paced in a cage within Anakin. Now it waited for its chance to rule again.

And Anakin played into his hand deliciously. Just as he did now. It was all coming together as he had foreseen. That was, until the birth of the youngling, Luke. The existence of that boy had never made itself known in Sidious' visions, but he made the plans far easier to accomplish. What drove Anakin Skywalker, was _love._ Pathetic as that was, it lit the fire in his blood. And it was the _ultimate weakness._ Sidious was going to use that weakness to crush the Jedi's heart and replace it with cold, dark, _hatred._ Skywalker would soon experience the freedom of the Dark side and the _power_ it could offer. And then, Sidious was going to use the _combined_ power of father _and_ son to bend the Galaxy to his will. The other child… He did not sense a power like her brother's within her. No… It was a fierce power he felt, but different. Gentler. He had no interest in the child. She would be _dealt with_ soon enough.

The only complication, however, was Padme.

He had brought her back to Anakin all those years ago with his ordered assassination attempts purposely. It was all part of the plan. Anakin needed something to covet, something to want, to _desire._ He needed a reason to grow to distrust the Jedi entirely independent of his ' _good friend_ ' the Chancellor. And the Force had shown him the way… Fifteen years ago, when a boyish love grew within the slave child for the Queen of Naboo. Padme didn't trust him as Anakin did. She was one of the few who suspected him of misdeeds… She was always too clever for her own good. If she did not play such a vital part of his schemes, he would not have allowed her to advance within this political world as she had. Alas, he needed her here to bed Skywalker. And what a _good_ job she'd done of it…Even bearing him two little whelps with power ripe for the picking. _Oh_ , if only brave and righteous Senator Amidala knew that it was he who she should thank for all of the _joy_ they'd discovered in one another. He'd given them the love they shared, and now it was time to turn that joy, into _ashes_. Padme was too dangerous to be kept alive. She and her band of Senators were too conniving, too much of a threat to all he'd worked for. He'd already begun to make Anakin hate the Jedi Order, and soon, with a little work, a carefully placed lie or two, and a card hidden deep within his sleeve, he was going to make him grow to hate Padme too.

* * *

Anakin's boots thundered against the burgundy carpets of the Senate building as he marched toward the Chancellor's office. Sleep, once more, had eluded him the previous night and the exhaustion was pressing hard onto his body. He'd _begged_ the Force in his meditations to release his mind from Padme's screams night after night, and it'd seen fit to grant his desire. Only, it replaced his wife, with his son. The memory alone was enough to make the Jedi shudder. No father should _ever_ witness their child hurt to such a degree… To see them bleeding and afraid… _What happened_? Had fate changed its mind? Had it decided that Padme would live, and it was Luke who'd be taken from him now? _How?_ Or, was this another warning? Did he stand to lose them both now?

 _No!_

He'd tear the Force itself to _shreds_ before that happened. Their lives were not for taking. Not Padme and not Luke's… Not his precious little boys… They'd live! He'd find a way! The Jedi Council not accepting him within their ranks was merely a setback – there was something he could do… Even if that something had not occurred to him yet. The archives in the Temple were not the only source of knowledge… There were others… There _had_ to be. People he could speak with… The Jedi Order weren't the only beings well versed in the Force. Other beings had studied it for lifetimes, long before his own. He only needed to find them…

The doors slid open in a slow parting as Anakin nodded once, stiffly, to the Redrobes who stood diligently by either side of the framing. By some mercy, he found the Chancellor alone in his office, watching over the skytraffic through the large, expensive panes of transparisteel behind the elaborate desk, custom made for Palpatine by a famous designer Padme had once told him all about. He thinks it was the same being who created the ornate water fountain built into her veranda… The name escaped him now, however. The Chancellor's solitude, he was grateful for. Anakin was in no mood for the political games he'd been forced to participate in since his return. What he wanted, or perhaps, _needed,_ was truth. Straight to the point conversations. No double meanings or subtle confusions. Just truth.

"Ah, Anakin!" The leader of the Republic smiled as he turned to greet him and Anakin felt compelled to attempt to return the gesture. It wasn't easy, nor was he entirely sure the result looked all that natural. "I'm glad you're here. There is much we have to discuss." There was? Despite his deep fondness for the Chancellor, his office wasn't where he wished to be right now… He'd much rather fly on past the rotunda and straight to 500 Republica to be with his wife and son. Luke had a nightmare last night too, Padme said it herself. What if it was the same one? There could be more that he could learn from it… And more than the desire to understand what these dreams warned of, Anakin longed to be _home._ It felt like he hadn't been there in _weeks,_ though he'd visited, albeit briefly and for a bitter argument, just yesterday. He wanted to see Luke, and touch his sweet, little face, and know that he was safe. He _needed_ it. The sooner this was over, the better.

"I'm sure." He nodded politely.

"Tell me," Palpatine asked, as he sank down onto the plush velvet seat behind the desk, "Were you with Obi-wan when he departed from his mission?"

"Of course." Anakin responded immediately, though the remnants of his farce smile died on his lips. The short walk to Obi-wan's transport had been filled with unspoken words and silent regrets. There were things he'd wanted to tell him, to apologise for… He hadn't shown his old Master the respect he should have lately… And Anakin regretted that… There would be other times for such words, he supposed, but for a moment, when all had been on the tip of his tongue, ready to be heard by his old friend, his cowardice had gotten the better of him. And, rather than resolution, he'd watched Obi-wan walk away with a bitter taste in his mouth. He regretted that. It was not the… Adult thing to do. He wanted to be better, to set a good example for his children to follow… This was not what he wanted for them one day. "I wished him luck." Came the lie he'd been rehearsing within his mind for just this occasion. No need to spill details of words unsaid. "Not that he'll need it to tear that monster from limb to limb."

"If I can be candid with you, Anakin, I still feel the Council's decision to send Obi-wan was the wrong one." Palpatine's thin fingers laced together tightly and Anakin's eyes fell closed for a moment. Better that than rolling them. _By the Force…_ Would he never hear the end of that decision? Couldn't the issue be left to die now that Obi-wan had left to complete the job? It was _over_. Let him have the glory of ending the war, Anakin didn't need it… He saw that now. What he _needed_ was his family and their safety ensured.

"The Council placed their faith in him. They do not do that lightly."

Palpatine nodded once, slowly. "What is their plan should Obi-wan fail?"

Their plan? Well… He hadn't thought of it. He doubted it was truly necessary. "I'm sure that… They have _something._ Don't worry about it too much; anticipation is a form of distraction after all. The Council will deal with any failure when and if it happens." Anakin's trust in the Council may not be as… Strong… As it once was, but he _knew_ their response to any disaster in Utapau would be a quick one. They wanted an end to the war too. Everyone did. From where he sat, the Chancellor chuckled darkly.

" _If…_ I don't believe in any such thing as _if,_ my boy. I believe in _when_. To lead this Republic to the _greatness_ it deserves, I must anticipate the ambitions and desires of everyone. Both friend and enemy. Preparation and careful planning are what keeps the balance."

Shaking his head, Anakin frowned, "Forgive me, Chancellor, but surely you didn't ask me here to discuss the small possibility of Obi-wan not destroying Grievous?" He had better things to do with his time than that. If that was truly all, then it was time to excuse himself and find his wife... If she was here, he could drag her back to the apartment perhaps… They could spend the day with Luke tucked away where no politics or war could touch them. The prospect grew more tempting by the moment…

"Anakin, something, that I could never have anticipated, no matter how open my mind is, has happened… And, I'm afraid this will be difficult for you to hear." One creased, freckled hand gestured to the seat opposite the desk and Anakin fell into it heavily with a sigh. Was there _any_ good news for him these days? It certainly didn't feel like it… What more could there be now? "As most of this conversation has, it concerns our mutual friend, Obi-wan. Some… _Terrible_ whispers have reached my ears."

Whispers? Obi-wan was the best of them all. His life's work has been to follow the Jedi Code to the very letter and destroy the Sith. His one vice was an occasional same of sabacc in the lower level bars with an alcoholic beverage or two… What was there to whisper about that? "What whispers?" He demanded.

"There seems to be some within the Senate believe I should not have been granted the emergency powers." Anakin's tongue flicked out to wet his lips as the Chancellor spoke, and he listened intently. Yes, he knew all about Senator's who did not support Palpatine with the emergency powers; he'd endured an argument about just that already with his beloved. But that was hardly a surprise…

"Democracy leaves room for those who disagree with their chosen leaders. I don't see what Obi-wan has to do with that." Slowly, Palpatine's head shook, and the old man's gaze trailed away from Anakin for several long moments, and the Jedi frowned. What was going on? This wasn't like him. _So much for straight to the point conversation…_

"Yes. You're right. However, these Senators have become as much our enemy as the Separatists. Perhaps even more so. They have attempted to achieve their will legally, through the Senate, and when that failed, began the creation of a group of their own. One which desires to remove me from office. By _any_ means necessary."

Anakin reeled, his whole body jolting backwards slightly, so that his neck ached from the quick movement. What he said was… _Unbelievable._ It was _unspeakable!_ He leant forward to speak lowly, although there was nobody here to overhear the poisonous words in his mouth. "You're saying there are Senator's committing _treason_?" Such a betrayal had the power to unravel everything they'd worked so hard for – the shaky stability of the Republic! It could send them back to war! A _civil war_ this time! Then the fighting would never end – _never._ "Who?" He growled as an afterthought.

But the Chancellor merely continued as though Anakin had not spoken at all. "Apparently these treasonous Senators have an agreement with certain members of the Jedi Council to become their accomplices."

"Accomplices in what, exactly?"

"The plot against the Republic… What we spoke of in the opera house was all truth, Anakin… You yourself must see how it's unfolding before our very eyes." The determination in Palpatine's eyes almost drew a tired groan from his lips. _Almost._ Not this again! It was simply years of leading the Republic through a war which had bred this paranoia within the old man. While it was understandable, Anakin was growing sick of hearing about non-existent plots!

"I'm sorry," he sighed, "I – I just don't –"

"You still don't see it, do you? Well, allow me to open your eyes, son. My sources have given me the identity of the leader of this band of traitors. And so, I have scheduled a meeting with them and the others in around…" He trailed off to glance at the chrono on his desk, "Three standard hours from now. I want you to be here when it happens."

Him? _Why?_ What use could he possibly be in a political meeting concerning plots and political beliefs? Anakin was a warrior, a Jedi Knight, General of a battalion. He was a man of _action_ , not words. _Would there be no peace for him in this lifetime?_

"I want to know," the Chancellor explained, "Just what the intentions of these beings are. If their words are truth or vicious lies. Your powers hold the key to such answers, Anakin. And if, as I suspect, there is any plotting, this shall confirm it for us both." He supposed that made some sense… Perhaps his attendance would free Palpatine of this worry… If he could do that, then he had to try. It was his duty as a friend.

"I can try." He agreed, but unsatisfied, one of Palpatine's white eyebrows lifted curiously.

" _Try_? What is it that our good friend Master Yoda says about trying?"

Anakin's eyes narrowed as the age-old mantra he'd heard for almost his entire life sprung to mind as the Master's words echoed in his mind. "Do or do not. There is no try."

"Ah, yes. That's the one. We shall not try, Anakin. We shall _do._ After all, most of these Senator's couldn't hide their feelings from one of the Jedi's younglings… Much less the most _powerful_ Jedi alive." Leaning back in his seat, his fingers drummed lightly against the armrest. The post powerful? Surely such a title belonged to the likes of Master Yoda or – or… Or _him._ Maybe he _was_ more powerful than any of them. He was the Chosen One. That destiny brought him the highest midichlorian count ever known – higher even than Yoda's! He was son of the Force. " _The most powerful Jedi alive…"_ The dragon hissed and its warm breath fanned Anakin's ear. " _Would the Masters ever admit such a truth?"_

He shrugged the beast off a moment later. He had no time for such ponderings right now; he could deal with them later, when Padme, Luke and the baby were safe. They were his priority, the air in his lungs. _Nothing_ else mattered by their precious lives. His eyes fell shut for a moment or two, to stave off the temptation to soak his swelling ego in the warmth of the Chancellor's high praise. When he opened them again, mind clear once more, he spoke. "I still don't see what this has to do with Obi-wan."

Palpatine nodded, "Yes. You see, I've been dreading telling you this Anakin… But I believe that the truth must be heard, however painful. I already told you that the identity of the being who leads the band of Senators working against me is known to a select few. It seems Master Kenobi has been in regular contact with this person. _Close_ contact. My sources have spotted him flitting in and out of the Senator's residence at the most… Unseemly hours. They are rumoured to be… More than mere friends…"

Anakin's fingers curled into fists on the armrests. He knew Obi-wan had lost faith in the Chancellor… But this just couldn't be true. He was too loyal to the Republic to do this… He was! "If you know who this Senator is, have them questioned. The truth will soon come out then." And then Obi-wan's good name could be cleared of all suspicion.

This time, Palpatine shook his head, but it was the man's eyes which caught the Jedi's attention. There was something… Sympathetic within them. But what…? "Anakin, I am so very sorry. But the Senator is… Your wife. Padme."

The air fled Anakin's lungs as quickly as if he'd just taken a hard punch to the stomach. _No._ His fists uncurled as a cold numbness spread throughout his body, inch by inch, spreading it's ice everywhere. He _couldn't_ mean that… He wasn't insinuating that… It couldn't be true. It was – it was impossible! "I…" He fumbled to find the correct words. How did one tell the Chancellor that his sources were wrong? That they were _filthy liars!_ They were just trying to destroy Padme's good name with their deception! He'd wring their necks for it! "You… P –" He choked on her name and found himself unable to say it suddenly. "She couldn't have. She would _never._ " This was wrong. It wasn't true. He couldn't believe it. He _wouldn't._ And yet, it felt as if his heart was in the unforgiving clench of a rancor's claws, and its squeeze knew no mercy. Padme was as devoted to Anakin as he was to her! He could never even _look_ at another woman, and he believed that – he _knew_ that Padme would never look at another man; least of all Obi-wan…She was heavy with his child for Force sake! He knew this wasn't true. He did… Didn't he? A deep dread rolled into his stomach as he remembered their fight the day before. She was hiding something from him, he'd sensed it. His heart clenched painfully as a cloud of black suspicion fell upon his mind. _What was she hiding?_ Was it… Could she have…?

"Do you remember what I told you about Darth Plagueis?" Palpatine asked, and Anakin didn't bother to curb his glare. _He didn't care about the Sith legend now!_ "Well, I never told you the ending. A great irony struck the once powerful Sith Lord. You see, he taught his apprentice everything he knew… And that apprentice took the knowledge he gave and do you know what he did with it?"

Nothing. Anakin said nothing. Horrific imaginings plagued his mind… Padme in the arms of another – of Obi-wan. Of his lips on hers… Of their bodies entwined in the throes of a passion she was only supposed to share with him. His chest heaved, hot tears springing into his unwilling eyes. _It wasn't true. It wasn't true. It wasn't true._

"He killed Plagueis in his sleep. That's the irony… He could save others from death, but not _himself._ "

Slowly, Anakin lifted his head to look the Chancellor in the eye, shoulders sagging suddenly. The stinging wetness of his eyes blurred his vision beyond repair, but to blink would mean spilling the tears and he could not let himself do such a thing. Not for a lie. It _was_ a lie. It had to be… But with every passing moment, he became less and less sure. "Why are you telling me this now?" His teeth bared themselves dangerously as he spoke, control rapidly slipping beyond his reach.

Palpatine, however, seemed unfazed. "I want you to _learn._ Sometimes it is those who are the closest to us, who have the power to betray us worse than our enemy ever could."

In his chest, the burn grew hotter still, a kindling into an inferno as white hot dragon fire gave Anakin the strength to rise to his feet suddenly, the numbness melting in its wake. "I'll be at your meeting." He spat as he stormed toward the door, cloak swaying as his body moved. Yes, he'd attend the meeting… But first he had to see her, and he'd have the truth. He may be seen, but Anakin didn't care. Let the entire _Galaxy_ see him with her, nothing was going to stop him. Not now.

He needed the truth.


	11. Chapter 11

Slower than he ever had, Anakin stepped out of his fighter onto the vast veranda of the highest apartment within 500 Republica. He was silent. Without a sound, Artoo popped out of his personised hatch built into the ship and glided past the Jedi, into the apartment without so much as a _beep_ to recharge. It was almost as if he _knew…_ Still hooded, Anakin crept inside after the droid, the only sound revealing his presence was the heavy thud of his boots upon the lavish flooring. He moved like a ghost around his haunting spot, touching nothing, but looking everywhere. This was supposed to be his home, a safe retreat from the Galaxy and its war, and yet… For the first time since his introduction to the building, everything felt different, foreign… _Distant_ even. It felt like he wasn't supposed to be here, as if he did not belong. Anakin felt unwelcome.

One or two discarded toys littered the floor by the window, abandoned mid-game most likely, and little model star skiffs lined the small caff table between Padme's pale yellow couches. They made Anakin think of his son… If what the Chancellor said was true, then what did Luke know? What had he _seen_? Or heard? Was Padme _coaching_ him in her beliefs when Anakin was not around? Had he seen _Obi-wan?_

How could she do this to him? To their _children_?

 _Sometimes it is those closest to us, have the power to betray us more than any enemy._

Through the Force, he felt it. It tingled in his fingertips and sent a shudder crawling along the flesh of his spine. Obi-wan's Force signature lingered in the air like a foul, unwanted stench. How hadn't he noticed it before? Wilful blindness was not Anakin's way, and yet, it _had_ been. Perhaps, he'd blinded himself to preserve the pretence of happiness? No matter the why, something dark within him was beginning to believe there was truth in the Chancellor's words. And that suspicion felt like the heat of a thousand lightsabers igniting into his body at once.

He circled the room, making his way toward the other couch and reached for the leather. _Here._ Obi-wan had been right here. A sudden, petty urge to lower himself down into the spot and reclaim it as his own overcame the Jedi. _It was his._ How many times had Anakin sat here with Padme and Luke, relaxing or reading or watching a holovid? Obi-wan had tainted it! He tried to steal it for himself! The Jedi fell harshly into the seat and felt his skin prickle instantly. Beside him, mere _inches_ from where he sat, Anakin sensed Padme. She'd been here too… Right beside Obi-wan. So close that their knees had perhaps brushed through their clothes… So close that… He couldn't think about it.

A new kind of fear with born within him, something colder and more frightening than any battle or dream. It left his fingers, flesh and durasteel, trembling. _Palatine could be right._

 _How could she do this to him?_

Obi-wan's presence was not the only one that lingered in the apartment's air. There were others, multiple, both male and female of differing species… He frowned as he concentrated, attempting to pinpoint exactly _what_ he sensed. Worry thrummed in the air, dancing through the room with its partner – discord. So, there had been guests hosted here by Padme. Guests who'd perhaps argued or fallen out about something? Friends of hers perhaps? _Senators._ He knew the truth as well as he knew his lightsaber. The guests were Senators and Padme had invited them here without telling him. _But who?_

Who did Padme spend her time with outside of the Senate? Bail Organa _,_ the Senator of Alderaan came to his mind immediately and he glowered at the wall. With a little focus, he felt glimmers of the other man here too and bared his teeth. Who else? _Mon Mothma._ Anakin had never liked her and sensed she felt much the same about him. It was no matter to him, unless she too was embroiled in all of this. She was a dangerous woman, prone to defiance in a way that unsettled even him. _How_ she'd managed to convince anyone to elect _her_ as a representative, he'd never understand. Padme had always shushed him whenever he voiced such things in the past. She liked Mothma, and it worried Anakin. But for now, their friendship was not his focus. There were others who'd been here, beings whose Force signatures he did not recognise, and he stood up to adjust his tabard with a firm tug, letting his hood at last fall to his neck.

Was it possible the Chancellor was right about this, too? So many Senators turned against him was… There was always going to be opposition, Anakin understood that, but that there could be as many beings as there had been here, so unhappy that they could ever turn toward talk of overturning the Republic? Could they truly be capable of such treason? Could _Padme_?Under normal circumstances, he would have denied it and defended her true belief in the power of democracy, but now… He couldn't. Anakin wasn't sure he knew who she was anymore.

There was too much to focus on all at once and slowly, it all moulded together to feed the cloud of suspicion that grew and grew with his every thought. It tainted everything he thought of, the Senate, the Chancellor, Obi-wan… Padme. None were immune to its black touch. Anakin found himself swept away by his thoughts, until the slight pressure of a hand placed upon his shoulder tore him away from his ponderings and he turned to find the woman behind all of this, his angel, the mate of his heart looking up at him with her big, beautiful, doe-eyes. _He loved her eyes._ Usually, the sight of her filled him with joy, he ached for her every moment they were parted, but now, now Anakin fought with the temptation to shrug away her touch. _What had she done_?

"Ani?" She said, letting her hand trail along his arm softly but his gaze only hardened. "What are you doing here? I didn't expect to see you until tonight." Instead of answering right away, Anakin stole a moment to truly look at her. She was dressed head to toe in full Senate regalia. As his lightsaber was his weapon, words and clothing were hers. And she was dressed to _kill_. What battle was it exactly, that she was expecting to be fighting, he wondered for a moment? However, what caught his attention most was her face. There was no joy in her eyes at his presence. They were blank, emotionless and purposely so. She looked every inch the politician. And part of him hated her for it.

He hated her for it because it was the final confirmation he needed. She'd proven the Chancellor and himself right with nothing but a glance. _She was hiding something._ He'd known it the other day when they fought on the veranda and he knew it now. When he spoke at last, he said, "I wanted to see you."

"Oh." She said, raising her chin. "Well, that's very sweet, Anakin, but I actually have a meeting with the Chancellor soon and –"

"In three hours?" He interrupted despite the rudeness.

Padme frowned. "Yes…"

"I heard." Anakin nodded. "In fact, I'm going to be there too." This time, it was Padme's turn to narrow her eyes at him, and Anakin almost rolled his own in response.

"You? Why? This is a _political_ meeting, Anakin, not a war committee." She scoffed, and Anakin's eyebrow rose slowly. She spoke to him like he was a child – as if he was not _qualified_ enough for her meetings. If only she knew just how much he'd learned these past few days. He knocked her hand from his body with a glare, feeling the heat of anger warm his belly.

"Why was Obi-wan here?" He demanded and for a moment, the politician's mask faltered as an expression close to startled painted her face instead. As always, years of experience with such things came to her aid and she recovered quickly.

"How did you know about that?" She had the decency to appear shocked at least. But it did nothing to quell Anakin's frustration. If anything, the pretence merely enraged him further.

"That doesn't matter." He waved his flesh hand dismissively. "What did you talk about?"

At once, her beautiful face twisted into an insulted glare all of her own. "That's none of your business. I don't ask you what your conversations with the Chancellor entail, do I?" He wasn't the only angry one now. This questioning had set something alight in Padme too and Anakin might have laughed if he weren't so wound up. After all, _his_ conversations with the Chancellor weren't treasonous, were they? _Nor were they a betrayal of their marriage._

Anakin, however, wasn't stupid enough to say that. Instead, he said, "When was he here?" He needed to know… What was he doing when they were together? What was _Luke_ doing? Was Obi-wan with the Senators too? He _needed_ to know and needed to know now. Otherwise, he feared that it would tear him apart. The wondering, the suspicion… Anakin felt _ill._

"He came to see me before he left for Utapau… _Why?_ " Padme cried, exasperated, as if she truly had no idea. And Anakin almost sneered. Why? _Why…?_ How could she look him in the eye and ask him that? When he did not answer her, she gave a long, tired sigh. "Anakin, what's going on? Why are you acting like this?"

" _Acting?"_ Anakin snarled suddenly, "Me? I'm not the one doing any acting, Padme." The anger, so hot in his belly, crept into the Jedi's voice and she took a step or two backwards, cringing at the very sound of it. They'd never spoken to each other like this before these past few days, and its reoccurrence was disturbing. But it was Anakin's emotions that controlled him now. His anger ruled his mind and there was no quelling it until he knew what he needed to know.

"What are you talking about?" Her own voice rose then, and Anakin bit back a glare. Wasn't it _clear_ what he was talking about? He knew about Obi-wan, he knew about the Senators and her treason. There was no point in hiding it anymore. Even if it made him sick, if it broke his heart, he _needed_ to hear her say it… Because the truth was, Anakin could never believe it of her until it came from her own lips… And the suspicion was only going to grow and until he lost himself… He _knew_ it.

"You and Obi-wan!" The Jedi roared at last and Padme's eyes widened in horror. "The Chancellor told me what's going on, Padme, he told me everything!"

She was quiet for a moment or two, and stood there, watching him with her wide eyes until Anakin shifted on his feet, uncomfortable suddenly beneath the silent stare until finally, she recovered the ability to speak again. " _Me and Obi-wan_?" Padme whispered, so quietly that Anakin almost didn't hear her. "You think that… He told you…" She paused again, shutting her eyes tightly as her lips fell into a thin line. "And you believed him?!" Her whisper became a shout of her own, and it was his turn to step backwards now. Padme _never_ yelled. Not at Luke, and certainly not at Anakin. " _How dare you?_ How dare you accuse me of something like this, Anakin?! I – I'm carrying _your child_ – I'm your _wife!_ That you could ever believe I could…" She trailed off and wrapped one of her slim arms around the swell of her stomach as her shoulders heaved with a sob. "I love you! How could you think I could ever do something like that?"

Anakin could only watch her as she raged, and as the tears welled in her eyes and fell along her cheeks. Horrified, and utterly guilt-ridden, the Jedi was struck to silence… He was wrong… The Chancellor was wrong… As if at finally coming to his senses, all his words and thoughts from before crashed about his ears and Anakin felt the colour drain from his face. _What had he done?_ "Padme…" He choked out her name as his own eyes began to burn wetly, and he took a step toward her.

" _Don't!"_ She hissed, holding up a hand to stop him and he did so immediately. "You believed _him!_ You believed that I was capable of betraying you with our _friend_!" More tears fell upon her cheeks and Anakin ached to wipe them away. But he remained where he stood for her comfort though it hurt. What had Palpatine talked him into? He should never have believed it… Not for a moment… He was the worst being in the Galaxy… Truly the worst. "Do you think I believe it when the Holonet news claim you're having affairs with girls all over the Galaxy? Like that model two years ago who _swore_ the two of you were in love? Never! Not _once_ throughout our marriage, or all the time apart, have I _ever_ doubted you, Anakin. And – and…" Her voice trembled and the sound made his heart clench painfully in his chest. "Anakin… _You're breaking my heart!"_

He went to her then, immediately, unable to hold back a moment longer and despite how she battled of him, Anakin took her into his arms. "I'm sorry…" He breathed when she settled. "Angel, I'm _so_ sorry…" The embraced lasted only a few moments before he released her and fell upon his knees. How could he ever have doubted her? Palpatine… His words, his sources were _lies_. He should have seen it from the start! What had he done? He'd hurt her… Hurt her precious heart. He'd never forgive himself for his, _never._ And a part of him knew, deep down, he'd never forgive Palpatine either. _You might lose her for this,_ part of him whispered and tears anew filled his eyes.

His rage was a lifeless pile of wet ash, her words being the water that smothered the flames. Guilt was what fuelled Anakin now, guilt and absolute sorrow. He pressed his forehead to where she carried their child and his body gave a long, miserable shudder. "I'm sorry." He said again, squeezing his eyes closed as his own tears fell. "I'm sorry for everything… I've been difficult since returning, I know it… I'm sorry we've been distant with one another… I never wanted to believe it, Padme, not for a moment! I – I just… I feel so lost…" Anakin's lips pressed a lingering kiss to where his daughter grew and pressed a hand to the spot, shuddering again, when he felt a strong pulse against his palm. "I don't know what's happening… It's like I'm being pulled in a thousand different directions and I can't _think_ straight anymore. I don't know what to do."

Padme listened to everything he said, sniffling and trembling through it all, but she _listened_ , silently taking in everything Anakin had to say. None of it was enough to excuse him, he knew that, but it felt _freeing_ to release his mind of everything and speak it all aloud. An age of quiet passed between them, and just when Anakin was sure she'd never speak to him again, he felt her fingers in his hair, stroking through his locks softly, as if to _comfort_ him. He hadn't realised just how terribly he needed this until now.

"I need to know what's happening to you," Padme whispered. "Is it the dream? Or something else now? I don't understand what's going on, Anakin." By the Force, he wished it _was_ just the dream… But now there were two of them, two warnings that he stood to lose _everything_. And all the pressure upon his shoulders, it was pushing him down beyond what his tired shoulders could withstand. His arms and knees were beginning to buckle, and if everything came crashing down, it would be _his_ fault. He was so afraid… And so tired… The silent battle of wills between the Jedi and the Chancellor wasn't helping either; he didn't know what to do.

"I feel like…" Anakin began, and then swallowed to wet his dry mouth. He didn't look at her, or know if she looked at him, but it didn't matter. She was listening to him, how could he dare ask more of her than that right now? "Like my fighter's engine has given out… And I'm in freefall with no idea where I'm going to land." She leant back suddenly, and Anakin's eyes snapped open to see her ease herself down onto the arm of the yellow sofa gently. He shifted closer, unable to stand the slightest distance between them right now. _He needed her._

Padme's soft hand came up to take his chin, to force him to meet her eyes and at the sight of them, he only felt worse. "I want to help you, but you have to _talk_ to me… And _listen_ to me." The fear in her words, the _worry_ he'd forced her to feel only added to the heavy guilt that made the Jedi tremble. She deserved so much better than him… She deserved the _Galaxy_ , things Anakin Skywalker could never give her… And yet she loved him, she _chose_ him. And this was how he repaid her for her love…

What kind of a husband was he?

His flesh fingers wound themselves around her wrist and brought her perfect, unscarred knuckles to his dry lips. "The council don't trust me," Anakin admitted, lacing his fingers through hers. "And the Chancellor doesn't trust the Council. There's so much distrust being spread and _nothing_ is being done to solve the true problems. The Chancellor, he thinks that – he's _sure_ that…" He trailed off, head shaking as his despair at the hopelessness of it all came once again crashing down onto him.

"He's sure of what, Ani?" Padme asked gently, squeezing his hand with her own. When he met her eyes, Anakin felt a new wave of tears fill his eyes. He was being torn apart… His loyalties were colliding and it was beginning to feel as if he could only have _one._ But which was the right choice? Who could help him save his family and the Galaxy? Which one did he want _more_? The very fact that he had to question it, only confirmed the deep seeded belief, that Anakin wasn't good enough for either.

"He believes the Council are plotting against him." The confession drew a shocked gasp from his wife and she drew her hand from his.

"That can't possibly be true! The Jedi Council are the base on which the Republic leans upon! They could never plot against Palpatine!" At her words, Anakin's own eyes narrowed slightly as the tears dried upon his cheeks. That wasn't what he expected to hear from her.

"Surely you believe that the bedrock of the Republic is _democracy?"_

"The Council –" She began, but Anakin wasn't finished yet.

"The Council don't like when votes aren't in their favour. Or go in their favoured direction. Those who gain power, become afraid to lose it, after all. I think you and your friends would do well to remember that." Despite their small truce, the Senator's _had_ been here, and they _had_ discussed the things Palpatine spoke of. Anakin sensed it. And he knew her… He knew how unhappy she was with the current state of affairs, and when something was broken, Padme always tried to fix it. It was in her nature.

She blinked once, confused. "My friends? What is that supposed to mean?"

"The Senators. Palpatine knows you've been discussing things… Whispering against him." At that, she fell silent again and Anakin was glad, even just for a few moments, to join her. The baby kicked against his palm again, and despite it all, the corners of his lips turned upwards. _He couldn't wait to hold her…_ To see her pretty little face at last and watch her grow as he had with Luke. By the Force, he loved her already, every bit as fiercely as he did his son. The mere thought brought a silent promise into the Jedi's mind. _I will save you._ No matter the cost, he'd save all three of them.

Padme knew him well. Well enough to read his thoughts upon his face as they came to his mind. "Anakin… You're asking too much of yourself…"

"I won't lose you, Padme." His words were pure truth. Death couldn't have her, or Luke or the baby. He wouldn't _let_ it have them. " _I can't –_ I can't live without you… Any of you. There are things – truths the Jedi don't want to reach the light. But I'm going to find them and learn how to keep you safe." Whatever it took, no matter what he had to do, Anakin would keep all three of them safe. What was there for him to live for if he couldn't have his family? They were his light, his very reason to live. It was going to be alright, he'd make sure of it.

Above him, Padme smiled sadly and shooed him away so she could stand, and Anakin, too, climbed to his feet again. "Listen to me," she took his cheeks in her hands, and his own caressed her waist. "You don't need more powers or any truths, Anakin. I _need_ you to be who you already are… _That's_ who I love and who I want to raise our children." With a gentle pressure, she drew his head down, and Anakin was more than happy to oblige. Their lips met and he groaned at the sudden urgent _want_ that warmed his blood… He wanted what he couldn't have anymore, not until after the baby… It'd only been a week since he'd felt her touch, and yet he craved it more desperately than he ever had. Whether to assure himself of his promises, or that they were taking the first steps toward a forgiveness from each other they both needed, Anakin wasn't sure. He kissed her harder, meeting her tongue with his own and swallowed her moan.

Padme broke the kiss with a small smile, leaving Anakin panting, eyes hooded as she reached up to card her fingers through his hair softly. "You look exhausted, Ani… When was the last time you slept properly? Or _eat_?" Sleep was the very last thing on Anakin's mind for now, but he forced himself to push such thoughts to the side. His cybernetic hand rose to pinch at the bridge of her nose. When _was_ the last time he eat? Probably around the time he'd enjoyed a full night's sleep… Days ago.

"I don't know." He confessed lowly and heard her sigh.

"Well, if you insist upon attending this meeting, then there's nothing I can do in the way of helping you rest, but I _can_ make sure you eat. Come." She took his fingers with her own and Anakin followed along behind her toward the doorway.

* * *

The moment they were inside the kitchen, Padme forced him into a chair, and Anakin fell into it heavily as she began to whiz around the room, opening cupboards and pulling out different utensils. Truthfully, he didn't pay too much attention to her as she threw together a meal. His eyes fell closed tiredly and once more the guilt sank into him. Palpatine was wrong. His source spread nothing but _lies_ about Padme and his fingers curled into tight fists. He believed the words of a _stranger_ rather than trust her… His own wife. He wanted to fall upon his knees and beg her forgiveness all over again and tell her what an awful husband she'd chosen. But in truth, Anakin wasn't sure he had the energy to climb out of the chair again…

His eyes opened once more to find himself alone in the kitchen, with the small mess Padme created laying around the counters… But no sign of her. A frown came to his face just as the doors depressurised open and she returned with Luke in tow and for one, terrible moment, at the sight of his blonde boy, Anakin froze. The sight of his smiling Luke was replaced by the horror of the blood he'd dreamt of, the _scream_ … It rang in his ears so loudly that he almost covered his ears with his palms. He was pulled out of the trance, however, when the boy all but leapt into Anakin's lap and threw his little arms around the Jedi's neck. The embrace prompted Anakin's own limbs back to life, and they wound tight around the young body of his beloved boy. The dream was gone from his mind, for now, replaced by the fiery, intense need to hold his child close to him, as if his very presence would Anakin's mind from the horrors it sensed. _Nothing was going to happen to him…_

After a few moments, Luke began to squirm; attempting to break free of his father's hold, but Anakin ignored the resistance, unwilling to release him quite yet. He knew of his flaws as a father as well as he did as a husband… He wasn't here enough, didn't spend enough time with Luke. He'd missed out on _so much_ over the course of Luke's short life, and even now he wasn't sure just how much more he'd still miss… None of it was his own choice, the war kept him away, not a desire to be gone. But that didn't change that Anakin missed his son's life-day last rotation… He wondered how it must have felt for Luke, for Padme to wake up without him and continue on… Anakin knew how much it'd hurt for him. Despite waking in the middle of a war zone, he remembered what significance the day held… He'd never forget.

"I should have been here last night…" He sighed, finally letting Luke pull free of his arms. Sweet and innocent as always, Luke merely smiled his big, toothy smile and began fiddling with the layers of Anakin's robes.

"Are you staying tonight?" The young boy asked, and somehow, Anakin managed to meet his smile with one of his own. Luke deserved that much, at least.

"Of course I am. Are you hungry?" At the mention of food, Luke's face lit up as he settled more comfortably on Anakin's lap, which the Jedi didn't mind at all. He saw so much of himself in Luke, especially in little moments as these… Something they held a mutual love for was food of every and any kind. Whenever Padme dragged the poor boy along to political balls, he'd heard Luke could be found by the table holding the snacks… Or beneath it… Anakin had been just like that at his age… With much _less_ to eat than Luke of course, despite how hard his mother tried.

In order to _not_ fall into a wallowing sadness with such thoughts, Anakin ruffled his boy's hair as he nodded and met Padme's eyes from across the kitchen as she leant one arm against the counter and used the other to rub the heavy swell of her stomach. "The Skywalker appetite…" She laughed, and it struck Anakin suddenly, that until now, he hadn't seen her laugh since his first few days home… "I swear, I spend more credits on food for the two of you than some systems do for their entire population! This one here is my last chance at having a _civilised_ child."

Anakin's eyes narrowed then, just as she turned her back to them to turn a knob on the heater behind her. _Last chance?_ That implied that she wouldn't have a chance to have another... Didn't she believe he was going to save her? Surely –

" _I'm_ civilimised!" Luke huffed, and Anakin's eyes flicked down to the child in his lap. His mood soured instantly as his thoughts centred upon Padme's words so much that Luke's sweet attempt at arguing with his mother did nothing to make him laugh as it did her. _When did she lose her faith in him?_

"Who says this will be our last chance?" He asked quietly, eyes still narrowed as Padme's gaze snapped over her shoulder to meet his own. Her big beautiful eyes pleaded with him silently, unwilling to do so out loud in front of Luke. Anakin could read her as easily as any words on a page. _Don't ruin this…_ The silent plea struck something within him, something that acknowledged the hint of finality in the air, the touch of sadness one felt before a heavy goodbye… He supposed this _could_ be the last time they'd all be together before the baby came, before he returned to the battles of the Galaxy… Maybe, just maybe, she was doing this less for them as much as for Luke, who by neither of their faults had too few memories of family meals.

Maybe talk of dreams and pledges could wait for just one night.


	12. Chapter 12

The darkness of the day had begun to fall over Coruscant as Anakin stood a step or two behind the Chancellor's chair, hands clasped politely behind his back and rolled his uncomfortable shoulders as subtly as he could. Politics was never his favourite subject, and yet here he was… Trapped in a secretive debate. At the very least, on the other side of Palpatine's debate, was Padme, though he knew his misguided accusations had yet to be truly forgiven by her. Anakin was content to wait a lifetime for her forgiveness – it was the very least of what he deserved. One small mercy of it, he supposed, was that his mind was clear and free of suspicion, and knowing that, the Jedi let himself delve into her Force signature. _All_ Anakin wanted was to go home and fall asleep in their bed with Padme and Luke in his arms… He hoped this meeting wouldn't last an eternity so they could do just that. He hadn't realised just badly he'd _missed_ his son even while on the same planet until tonight, now he wanted to make the most of every moment they had together.

Their meal had been wonderful – beyond wonderful… Something they'd done far too infrequently throughout their marriage and especially since Luke was born. Sitting down for quiet, intimate dinners had just never been a priority for them – always a war to fight, always a Senate to address… Always too little time together to _not_ spend it in the bedchamber… But tonight it felt like they were a real family, just like any other, settling down to eat together and that sensation was _everything_ Anakin had wanted since his marriage began. For it to feel _real_ , not hidden or rushed to fit into too short moments of availability. One glance from the corner of his eye at the chrono told Anakin that by now, Elle would be bathing Luke and putting him to bed in he and Padme's place… And suddenly, he felt a small misery at not being there himself.

 _Focus!_ He had to focus!

He stole a glance at the small band of Senators who'd gathered here this evening and his eyes narrowed as their feelings painted the air of the grand chamber. Only Padme kept her eyes on the Chancellor. She was comfortable with him, unafraid. Even Organa looked away when he could. Anakin also sensed that he and the others wondered what none of them would dare ask… Why was Anakin here? Why did the Chancellor need a _Jedi_ by his side for what was supposed to be a private meeting? But, from the swirling emotions from each of them, even Padme herself, Anakin guessed they'd already realised the answer for themselves. He was both protection and a show of power. The _Chancellor's_ power, not the Republic's. Suddenly, he found it difficult not to glare at the older man from where he stood… What had happened earlier with Padme had been _his_ fault as much as Anakin's. His lies could have made him lose her. He'd judged her by the words of liars - _her_ who was a thousand times better than _any_ of them. He knew part of him would never forgive Palpatine for it.

Disregarding such thoughts, Anakin focused slightly harder on his wife and sensed a small… Distress within her… Concerning him – concerning his _presence_ here. Him being here meant her fellow conspirators no longer understood where the Jedi stood in this battle of wills… Anakin understood that without sensing it from her. Plainly, Padme didn't want him here. He'd have scoffed, if it wouldn't have been unprofessional, because right now, Padme was Amidala, not Skywalker. She was not Anakin's wife, she was a Senator. That was the difference between them, he supposed. Anakin was _always_ her husband, but increasingly, she was not his wife. He tried not to let that hurt.

Beside Padme, was Bail Organa, dressed as finely as he always was with his plush navy cape and matching blue and silver ensemble. He stroked his beard in a way that reminded Anakin, of Obi-wan. And the reminder _did_ hurt. He owed the man an apology – many of them. But for tonight, especially… By her other side, was Fang Zar, so underdressed that he stood out almost ridiculously among the other richly dressed Senators. He was a clever mind that much Anakin knew. One of the sharpest in the Senate, from what Padme had told him, and Obi-wan agreed. Nee Alavar and Male-Dee he knew nothing of. So his gaze returned to his beloved. They were a small group. Almost pitifully so. But Anakin knew there were more of them – together they made two thousand. But where were the other big players? Mothma? Where was she hiding tonight?

He cast the other woman from his mind to focus on Padme again. She was _glowing_ in her burgundy robes, and they wrapped around her perfectly to disguise the evidence of the baby… To his eyes, at least. To confirm his earlier thoughts, she wore her politician's face again, further proving that she was not _his_ Padme right now, but _Senator Amidala_. And Senator Amidala spoke the most out of all her colleagues. As if that had been the plan all along. He had a sickening suspicion that this may have been her idea from the start. He wanted to take her shoulders into his hands and _shake_ her until she saw sense!

"We're here today, Chancellor, not with demands or threats of forming an opposition. It's important you understand that. But we have the signatures of two thousand Senators and that cannot be ignored. The governors you have hired _cannot_ interfere with the Senate's business. And we request that you once more begin peace talks with the Separatists. Without Count Dooku to lead them, they're at their weakest point. It's time to end the fighting and resume diplomacy." Padme spoke well, but when did she ever not? Despite everything, part of Anakin lit up with pride at her talents, but that part was buried too deep to reach his face. The majority of him wished to groan and sink into the nearest chair.

Palpatine was quiet for several moments, weighing her words carefully before replying. When at last he spoke, only two words fell from his thin lips. " _Is it_?" He sounded cold even to Anakin's ears, and his eyebrows rose. Usually, the Chancellor was far more… Diplomatic while dealing with people. His emotions did not cloud his judgement. Something was wrong. He was not alone in his thoughts it seemed, as Padme and Organa's eyebrows, too shot upwards on their faces.

"Surely you understand what we're saying, Chancellor… The Governors are part of a system that mirrors military control so closely that they're practically one and the same!" Organa spoke, saving Padme the effort and Anakin tensed. He was beginning to feel that this meeting would not end peacefully as hoped… Nor with either party particularly happy with the results. Which meant this battle of whispers would go on and on and there'd _never_ be peace. He couldn't imagine anything worse. Despite all that, when Anakin's eyes flicked to the Chancellor he felt nothing. His control was impressive.

"I understand your reservations, Senators. However, I have placed these beings into the positions I have in order to make our systems safer throughout the course of our war effort. To see the governors as anything more than that is quite frankly, paranoia."

Padme's face fell into an expression Anakin knew well. _Too well_ , part of him groaned. She was _far_ from happy. Furious, even. ""If we are to work toward peace talks, then surely the clone production, military arms productions and governors should be shut down – not encouraged." She argued, thinning her own lips, and it was strange to see that face directed not at Anakin for once… _Not_ that he'd inspired her rage too often throughout their marriage, but there had _definitely_ been some moments over the course…

The Chancellor was not fazed, however. "We must be prepared for all outcomes, Senator. It's nothing to worry about."

The Senators exchanged long glances amongst themselves, and Nee Alavar nodded once, prompting Padme's response. She turned back to the Chancellor calmly, any sign of anger gone from her beautiful face, and Anakin almost laughed. She _was_ good at hiding her feelings… "Well then, we can assume that the constitution shall be left as it is from now on? With no more sudden _amendments_."

Anakin felt a sudden spike of anger within Palpatine, so intensely that he looked down at the man with as a confused frown came across his face. Of everything the Senators had said, this was understandable – it was fair, even. Not even Anakin would begrudge that one request. And yet it lit a fury in the elder man like he'd never seen from him before. It was smothered as quickly as it appeared, but Anakin sensed it nonetheless. And it worried him, greatly.

"You will forgive me, Senators, if I don't rush to agree. _I_ am the elected leader of this Republic and the state of events we have found ourselves in grants me the powers to _make_ such amendments. The people have placed their trust behind me throughout this war, and my ideals. You, however… Well, your credibility of late has come into question, Senator Amidala." Everyone's jaws fell slack at the Chancellor's comment, Anakin's especially. What was he _thinking_? How dare he speak to her that way?!

" _Excuse me_?" Padme cried and Anakin didn't have to look at her to know she was looking to him, but he couldn't tear his gaze away from the man he'd called his friend for almost his entire life. This was wrong, she was innocent of those accusations and even if she were not – a shudder raced through Anakin at the thought – this was _not_ the place for it to be spoken of. This was he and Padme's business, no one else's. Not Organa's, not the other Senators'! He knew Palpatine still believed those foul rumours, but to bring them up now was so… Spiteful… And unlike him. Distantly, he heard Bail rush to Padme's defence in the way he himself should have been able to – but shock and the need for secrecy kept Anakin silent.

Palpatine reached into a drawer deep within his grand desk as everyone watched, some in horror, some in shock, as he produced a holodisk and calmly placed it onto the table. Anakin didn't know where to look, the disk? Padme? The Chancellor? Every inch of him was alive and thrumming with rage at Palpatine for this. This was wrong – he'd _never_ wish to humiliate his Angel like this! The more primal part of the Jedi suddenly wished to make use of the hard durasteel of his cybernetic arm to defend his mate's honour… But alas, this was a civilised time.

"What I am about to show you is a security recording from 500 Republica. General Skywalker, do you see the date it was recorded? Where were you then?" Beneath his sleeves, Anakin's fists shook violently, but he did as the Chancellor commanded, and after sparing a glance at Padme, looked down. He recognised the date immediately; it was nine months ago, just after he'd left Padme and Luke behind to fight in the Outer-Rim.

Frowning, he cleared his throat attempting to keep his emotions out of it, for Padme's sake. "I – I was in the Outer-Rim… Why?"

"Did General Kenobi return to Coruscant at all around this time?" Palpatine pushed, but Anakin's glare only deepened. Why was he doing this? _Nothing_ happened! He was a fool for believing the lies of people who wanted nothing more than to ruin Padme's good name.

"Yes." He admitted. "Obi-wan returned for about a week before coming to aid me in the fight. But, Chancellor, I don't understand what –"

"Well, now we know that," Palpatine interrupted, "We can view the recording."

Anakin looked toward Padme just in time to meet her eyes; he sensed her confusion and nervousness… But she had no reason to be nervous. The accusations were lies, they meant nothing. There was nothing the Chancellor could possibly use against her… Was there? Confusion swarmed the other Senators too, and the room was utterly silent. No one wished to speak, and no one could tear their eyes away from the disk as one of Palpatine's wrinkled fingers pressed down upon the small black button to let it begin.

 _Force help them._

Immediately, the blue-hued holo of Padme's veranda burst out of the device and Anakin squinted. There was nothing to see, only the furniture. But that didn't ease the tension that was slowly beginning to creep through his bones and sink dread into his body just like before. After a moment, Padme appeared onto the screen, the hem of her silky sky-blue gown swaying at her feet as she stepped out toward the edge. She looked just like he remembered her when he'd left, flat-bellied and as radiant as ever… Not showing the baby they'd created together just a day before… But the fond nostalgia the holo brought to Anakin was quickly shattered. Obi-wan's speeder pulled up to the edge and the Jedi gracefully stepped out… And into Padme's arms. His heart began to pound in his chest, and though he wanted to look at her, he couldn't look away from the holo.

Anakin stepped closer to get a better look, just as the pair pulled apart to smile at one another and exchange a few words. And then something happened to tear his Galaxy to pieces. Obi-wan, his friend, his _brother_ , the man who'd raised him into adulthood leant down and took Padme's lips with his own, just as she pushed her body up, onto her tiptoes to meet him, circling her slim arms around his neck.

He stumbled backwards, almost tripping over Palpatine's chair, unable to stomach watching another _moment_ of it. She kissed him… _They kissed_! But that meant – his friend and his _wife!_ It meant they… Anakin felt sick, he felt like he was about to heave his dinner up and onto the richly carpeted flooring. His knees buckled, and he almost fell onto them, but somehow, the Jedi managed to remain standing. Tears burned at his eyes all over again – everything Palpatine said _was_ true… He'd seen it was his own eyes now! She – she'd been with another man – with Kenobi!

Gasps erupted around the room but Anakin paid them no heed, his eyes fell upon Padme, who was white-faced where she sat. He'd never seen her look so pale without the use of cosmetics… "That – that's not…" She muttered quietly, "That's not real! Where did you get that?" Her eyes came to Anakin just as the rush of betrayal flooded his mind and it was all he could do _not_ to roar with rage before everyone in the room. She and Kenobi _betrayed_ him together… They'd been together… And she lied about it! She lied to his face! She said she loved him but – but _how could she?!_ "That's not what happened!" Her voice rose whether with anger or hysteria, Anakin wasn't sure. "He – Obi-wan came to see me for a short while for lunch… We're friends – just friends… He – he kissed my cheek, that's all. This has been doctored!" Her voice cracked painfully as she looked at Anakin, " _It's not real…"_

"Holos, you'll find, Senator, do not lie. But people do. Quite often I've found." Palpatine leant back in his chair with a sigh. "You do yourself no favours by continuing the farce. Take his moment to admit the truth and then, we can all move onward and find solutions to our problems together…"

Suddenly, Anakin could stand to hear no more of this. He was either going to throw up or wreck something and he could do neither before all these people. Without another word, he stormed through the Chancellor's office and toward the exit. Voices whispered as he did so, but he ignored them. Against his will, a tear fell from his eye onto his cheek and the very moment the doors shut behind him, his cybernetic hand drove itself into the nearest wall. Redrobes who lined the corridor watched him curiously, but the Jedi didn't care. He wanted to scream, he wanted to stab something with his lightsaber… He wanted to _die._

* * *

Bail watched as the woman he held in extremely high standing ran as quickly as she could out of the room after the Jedi who'd walked out just a moment earlier with fury in his eyes. He believed her when she claimed the footage was false, after all, Palpatine _gained_ from discrediting her. Bail _knew_ her. And he suspected many things. And none of them were that she was with General Kenobi. He only had to _look_ at Padme's blue eyed boy to know just who she was with…

Too furious with the Chancellor to resume the meeting, Bail promptly stood and excused himself. Perhaps he could find Padme and offer some council, or even a comforting shoulder. This stunt by Palpatine was wholly uncalled for, and if it were him who'd been accused and shamed before his beloved Breha, Bail wouldn't know what to do with himself. What he _did_ know was, if the situation was indeed that way, Padme would stand proudly by his side as he would hers. Now was the time to be her friend, to offer his support and help as best he could… Maybe doing so may even ease the shock felt by the clearly hurt other party. But even Bail knew this was a large stretch.

When he exited the Chancellor's office, the Senator of Alderaan found the pair just a few meters away, by the looming window which touched both floor and ceiling at once and though it was rude, he could not steal his eyes away from them. They exchanged harsh, angry whispers he could not hear from where he stood and the Knight pointed furiously at Padme as her head shook frantically and her lip trembled. Bail's heart ached for them both. He wanted to move toward them but found that he could not. This was a… Personal matter. One where his interference would not be appreciated. While he did not understand the words being said, he could see clearly, their effect. Even from where he stood, he saw the tears on his friend's face and grimaced. She reached for his arm, but Skywalker retracted it as if her very touch burned him. Whatever the situation, whatever the truth of the matter, Bail's heart broke for her.

Suddenly, General Skywalker turned on his heel and marched off down the corridor and past Bail faster than Padme's legs could keep up with. "Anakin!" She cried after him, regardless of who might hear, but the Jedi did not turn back and Bail near winced at the clear _desperation_ he heard her voice. " _Anakin, stop_!" But he didn't stop. Nor did he look back.

 ** _A/N: Oh Palpatine you are the WORST! Making fake footage of Padme and Obi-wan... It's genius but I hate him anyway. Please review and let me know what you think!_**


	13. Chapter 13

Bail stood outside the office door of Senator Amidala after his friend had all but fled inside following General Skywalker's departure from the building for several long minutes. Each time he raised his fist to knock, it felt too soon. Every part of Bail seethed at this latest game of Palpatine's. He played the Galaxy as he pleased, but to involve himself into Padme's personal life simply because she'd created an opposition to his corruption was truly sickening. And no doubt he'd allow the poison he'd created to spread through the Senate until everyone was whispering. Suddenly, he longed for nothing more than to hold his dear Breha in his arms… She would know the right course to follow and her advice would be _gladly_ listened to. It'd been too many weeks since he'd been able to return home to her, a reason to delay always arose each time he tried, and now that he was surrounded by heartbreak, Bail realised just how lucky a man he truly was to have his Queen.

Eventually, he'd waited long enough and simply entered Padme's office without announcing himself. They were friends and often did this, though this time he did feel rather… Uncomfortable upon entering a private moment without permission. However, he feared that had he asked, permission would not have been granted, and Padme shouldn't be alone right now.

He found her sitting at her desk, head buried in her palms as gentle sobs tore through her body, making her shoulders heave. The sounds of her sorrow carried through the chamber and made Bail himself wish to weep. The _unfairness_ of all of this angered him. There were people who _truly_ committed such things against their partners every single day, within the Senate and outside, whose misdeeds never saw the light of day and yet Padme who was good and only desired peace was forced to suffer under false accusations… Was there _no_ justice in this Galaxy anymore?

When she heard him approach, Padme's head flew out of her hands and she quickly set about trying to wipe away any trace of the tears on her cheeks. It didn't work very well, Bail could see the wetness still, but he would never dare say such a thing. She moved to stand, leaning her weight upon the desk to support herself, and he almost sighed. "Oh, Bail! I'm sorry, I –"

"Please, Padme, don't strain yourself. I… _Understand_ your situation and just like with young Luke, I will ask no questions."

* * *

Padme fell back into her seat as tears anew sprung to her eyes. Somehow, she managed to swallow the thick lump in her throat, blocking her words in order to respond. "Thank you…" So he knew. Who else knew? _What_ did he know? About Anakin? The mere thought of him made her wish to weep all over again. She couldn't stop thinking about what happened, it replayed over and over in her mind in an endless repetition. What must he be thinking right now? Surely when the shock cleared and he was calm, he'd see she was telling the truth! The footage was a forgery; she'd pay _every_ credit she owned and have it tested in every available facility to prove it! He had to see it was fake… Padme was his _wife_! In all her life she'd _only_ been with Anakin, and he with her… There could _never_ be another in her bed – especially not Obi-wan! The mere thought that he _believed_ that he'd been so utterly betrayed made her shoulders tremble with grief and for the very first time, Padme questioned the fate of her marriage.

Trust, evidently, was gone between them. Heartbreakingly mutually so. Anakin's faith in her had been shaken due to Palpatine's influence, and she was so afraid. She was afraid of what was about to happen, and she had _no idea_ what to do. She felt so trapped and lost and _all_ Padme wanted was to go home to Naboo with her family and feel her Ani's arms around her, with whispers that everything was going to be alright again. But it _wasn't_ going to be alright. None of this was! Within a few days, she would be – there wouldn't be _any time_ to…

It was only a moment later that Padme realised that Bail had sat down in one of the chairs opposite her desk and spoken. "I'm sorry." She muttered miserably, "What did you say?"

Bail smiled and Padme wished she could return it. "The baby…" He gestured toward her. "What is it?"

"A girl." She answered and Bail's smile died slightly upon his face.

"Though I suppose it may not feel like it right now, Padme, you _are_ very lucky. Breha and I… We always wanted a baby girl." His face grew sad and wistful and despite everything, her curiosity spiked.

"But you never had any?" Despite their long friendship, there were still a great many things Padme didn't know about him. Behind the fiercely respected politician lay something else, a fire, a _passion_ for what was right in the Galaxy. It blazed within him, she'd always felt that. But there was something more… Something longing in his eyes, now more than ever. She'd always thought that Bail would make a wonderful family man and it was only now that Padme realised the truth of it. Bail was more than a man who hid behind his life's purpose… He _was_ a father… But a father without a child… And the knowledge made her heart ache more than it already did.

He shook his head sadly and his eyes fell low to his lap where his hands lay politely clasped. "No… I… It is an impossibility for us."

"Oh, Bail… I'm so sorry…" Padme whispered as his gaze returned to her eyes. Her children, Luke and this baby brought the greatest joy she had ever known. She'd been a mother for only five short years of her life and yet she could never imagine her life as anything different now. That someone who was so loving and capable of raising a child could be denied one, it broke her heart.

"It is… Just the way it is. But, we have been discussing the possibility of adopting lately. The only obstacle in our path is the current instability of the Republic."

"Yes." Padme placed a hand on her stomach, rubbing tendering where her little girl was becoming ready to be born, "I understand completely."

* * *

Anakin arrived back at the apartment, his mood just as foul as before, if not more so. Artoo chirped and beeped the entire trip from the Senate building, but the Jedi did not break his silence. Talking was the very _last_ thing on his mind right now. He was torn between howling in grief and roaring in rage and didn't trust himself to open his mouth. The very moment he could, Anakin leapt out of the speeder and onto the veranda, barking orders at his astromech to land the speeder in the designated bay. He wasn't leaving tonight. Before following his orders, Anakin heard Artoo's sad little whine, but couldn't concern himself with that right now. He had worse things in his mind.

He marched through the apartment without care of who knew he was here. Most of Padme's staff knew anyway… They were good at keeping secrets. _"What other secrets do they keep_?" The dragon hissed in his ear and he felt his lip tremble. How could this be true? _How_? How could they have done this to him? Was there something he'd done wrong that made Padme turn to another – to his _mentor?_ Did he… Had he not _satisfied_ her?

Anakin fell back onto the couch, utterly crestfallen. He wasn't _good_ enough for her – wasn't _enough_ for her at all. He'd known it since the beginning of their marriage, because there was so much more _any_ other man could give her… A public life together, a home created together, their last name, rings of commitment… And that was only the tip of what Anakin couldn't give her. There was so much their marriage lacked because of him… Was it any wonder she'd turned to another?

His sullen brooding was interrupted by light footsteps walking out, onto the veranda and Anakin looked up to see Elle and tried not to roll his eyes. He was far from in the mood for pretences and making excuses for his being here. No, she needed to be gone. _Now._ The surprise at his presence sparked onto the woman's face, partnered with a short startled gasp, and the Jedi reluctantly rose to his feet. Before Elle was able to speak, Anakin outstretched his hand toward her. "You did not see me here."

" _I did not see you here_ …" She repeated quietly, eyes glazing over.

"You're tired. You should go home now."

" _I'm tired. I should go home now_."

He watched as the small woman turned around to leave and sighed heavily. _All_ he wanted tonight was to tuck his son into bed and stop thinking of Padme and Obi-wan… But he couldn't. The holo of them in each other's arms was frozen in his mind, it was behind his eyes every time he closed them. Everywhere he looked made his skin crawl. Where had they been together? Was it on the couch? The veranda? Had it happened in _their bed_? The mere thought brought along more tears to the Jedi's eyes. His shoulders trembled and suddenly everything spilled out with a long, mournful howl as he sank back down onto the couch. How could they go behind his back? How _could she_? They were married – husband and wife… They _pledged_ themselves to one another for an eternity and – and she chose to… She wanted Obi-wan _more_ than she wanted Anakin and it tore his heart in two.

One thought so frightening that Anakin's blood ran cold came to him suddenly, and his very breath caught in his throat. _Did she love him?_ What if she loved him more? She could end their marriage and what would he have left? Kenobi would take his place, in her heart, in her bed… In his children's lives. What if they came to love Kenobi more than him too? Anakin knew such a thing would be his ruin, he'd never recover… But then, something even worse came to the Jedi's mind, worse than everything that'd come before it. Something he hadn't taken a moment to consider before. _What if she's not mine?_

If it was true, and Padme and Obi-wan had been together when the holo said, then the baby… She might… He might not be… Kenobi might have taken Padme _and_ his baby from him in one swoop. Suddenly, he couldn't hold himself back any longer. Grief took control of the Jedi and any calmness fled his body entirely. Long, broken sobs wracked their way through him as quietly as possible as his face fell into his palms. He _couldn't_ lose her… Not Padme or the baby. He _needed_ them.

Out of nowhere, the long buried ache for his mother came roaring back to life, and Anakin had never missed her so much as he did in that moment. Shmi would know what to do… She would know _exactly_ what to say to make everything fall into place again. And if she didn't, she would simply sing to him until he felt better. Growing up without them, Anakin had forgotten most of the lullabies his mother would sing to him as a child, something he'd mourned once Luke had been born, but there _was_ one that'd never left his mind, not once in all the years Shmi hadn't been there to sing it. Even now, if he concentrated hard enough, Anakin could still hear his mother's voice softly singing the Huttese words. And he did just that, for a long while, Anakin let the imagined words drift through his mind over and over as the tears coated his cheeks with their wetness and his body trembled in their wake. Eventually, the imagining managed to soothe something in him enough that he stood, wiping away the tears and threw off his dark cloak.

There was only one thing Anakin wanted now, and it was to be with Luke. Whether he was sleeping or not, he had to be close to him tonight, or else, he didn't know what he might do… As it happened, when the doors of his son's bedroom tore themselves open, the Jedi found the boy very much awake and in the middle of a holopad game. Upon seeing him, Luke froze, well aware that it was past his bedtime, his little eyes wide with childish panic at being caught breaking a rule. Anakin knew that he _should_ reprimand him, but the innocence of the act somehow brought a smile to his unwilling mouth.

"You should be asleep…" He stepped into the room and let the doors slide closed behind him and Luke's blue eyes fell down to look at the bed rather than Anakin. Guilt was sweet on him. Especially so as Anakin was rarely given a chance to handle moments like this. In fact… It may just be the very first time. With that, he decided there'd be no reprimanding tonight. He needed a little company anyway.

"M'sorry…" Luke muttered and shut off the holopad. Falling to his knees by the bed, Anakin let himself smile, even if it did nothing to quell the hurt. He reached up to softly run a hand through Luke's soft blonde hair and sighed. "You're sad…" The boy frowned and Anakin had no idea what to say. Empathy was a power the Force granted some people, and while it was possible, he was more confident that he'd inherited the caring trait from his mother. Padme could always tell how someone was feeling… It was _uncanny_ at times. Luke was just like her, in _so_ many ways. Beyond the physical, Anakin saw almost nothing of himself in his son. Something told him that that was due to so many days spent away from him rather than _with_ him in these tender years. And although the separations caused so much pain, maybe, if Luke was all Padme instead of him, just maybe they were a blessing in disguise.

Sometimes with children, Anakin had learned, it was best to simply be honest rather than hide the truth. And so, he didn't lie. "I am sad… But it's nothing for you to worry about, Little One." He ruffled his boy's hair and was glad to hear him laugh. Luke was the very last person who needed to be burdened by what was happening around them. His little life should be filled with nothing but _joy_. "Do you have _any_ idea how much I love you?" Anakin forced a grin for his son's sake, and immediately his beautiful little face lit up with one of his own. His smile was brighter than any star in the Galaxy.

" _How much_?" He played along, which made Anakin's grin feel so much more real. He even managed to laugh quietly as all thoughts of Padme and Obi-wan and the Chancellor fled his mind. Luke was a balm to his tortured soul, and right now, he was his father's only light.

"I love you…" He drawled, pausing for effect, goofily raising an eyebrow making Luke giggle. "More than _all_ the moons in the sky."

Luke's gasp made his smile become a grin. "But that's like four hundred!"

This time, Anakin's laugh was loud and true and he knew there were _no_ words that could fully describe his love for his son… No amount of moons or stars could capture it. Perhaps there was something _beyond_ love for there was _nothing_ that could do his feelings any justice. "Even _more_ than that." He promised. Despite his best efforts to fight it, a great yawn stretched across the boy's face and Anakin reached for the holopad and placed it on the floor by his side. No more distractions tonight. "You're tired… Go to sleep." Surprisingly, Luke put up no fight and immediately settled down against his pillow, one small thumb sneaking its way into his mouth. It was a habit he and Padme were _trying_ without much success to break, but he'd let forgive it right now… Until he was asleep.

Luke solved the little problem for his father and retracted his thumb to curl up further beneath the blanket with another yawn. "Daddy, will you still be here tomorrow?" The question while innocent enough brought a lump to Anakin's throat. He didn't know the answer. He didn't know _anything_ anymore.

But how could he disappoint his Luke? His special, golden boy? Simply, he _couldn't._ So he forced a smile as if nothing in the Galaxy was wrong just to make sure he believed it. "Of course. Where else would I be?" The shining smile his son rewarded him with, was the most beautiful thing Anakin had ever seen. It didn't take long after that for sleep to claim the boy and whisk his young mind off on adventures and pleasant dreams… But Anakin stayed with him anyway, unable to pull himself away from the small bed. Nothing in the Galaxy had ever made him as happy as Luke… The day he learned Padme was pregnant was one of the four most wonderful moments of his life.

 _He stepped through the billowing sheer drapes as they danced in the gentle breeze that swept across Varykino, gifting Anakin's warm skin with its kiss. There he found her, radiant as always, dressed in a thin, purple gown that left the flawless flesh of her back exposed to his eyes. The hem swayed by her ankles in the breeze where she stood barefoot, elbows resting against the very balcony where they'd pledged their lives to one another forever. Her affinity for backless attire threatened to drive the Jedi to insanity, he swore it… And yet, Anakin was content to merely watch her for a moment, mesmerised as always by her beauty, and by the intense love he felt for her. His arms folded across his broad chest as his shoulder leant against the doorway, unabashedly admiring his beloved. She didn't look at him, but he felt through the Force her amusement at his admiration and… A glimmer of nervousness?_

" _Are you just going to stand there all day?" Padme drawled, interrupting his thoughts and he saw her cheeks pull backwards slightly as she smiled._

" _I'd certainly be content too…" He chuckled and curled the fingers of his flesh hand around the cybernetic wrist hidden beneath thick black leather._

" _Oh, I'm sure." He watched, as her head shook, and at last, the angel turned to greet his gaze with one of her own, so loving, so happy, that Anakin's breath caught in his throat. She leant back against the balcony, denying him the sight of her exposed flesh, but her beautiful face more than made up for it._

" _What're you thinking about, Angel?" He asked, curious as the speck of nerves grew into something more intense, something that rolled off of her Force signature in waves. They still had ten days here, hidden away in the lake country together, where no one but their family knew of their presence. There was nothing to fear. So, what, he wondered, worried her now? The war? Cancelled meetings, perhaps?_

 _Her gaze became misty again, "I've been thinking about my childhood," she began, trailing off briefly with a content sigh as the bliss of her youth returned to her. Anakin didn't begrudge Padme that joy… That idyllic bliss he'd tasted so rarely in his life, and especially little in his younger years. But Padme… Padme who worked for everyone above herself, Padme who'd give her very soul to ensure the safety of her people… Padme deserved it. More than anyone else, he was glad she'd had it. "I was so lucky to get to grow up here… Swimming in the lakes with Sola and laying beneath the sun as our skin dried on the sand…" The wistful tone in her voice drew Anakin's lips up fondly._

" _It sounds… Wonderful." He nodded._

" _Oh, it was… The lake country is perfect for a child – any child – to grow up in. Sola and I always had so much fun as girls here." Turning suddenly, she pointed to a thick tree beyond the balcony which looked older than the very structure they stood upon. "I learned to climb trees right there…" Slowly, her arm fell back to the stone as her radiant face looked back at Anakin, flushed and excited. "And despite your… Dislike of sand, Ani, you must admit that it's soft… Like a cushion, almost." Her words began to speed up, as the excited nerves heightened within her. "Perfect for someone a little clumsy… As if… As if one was learning to walk, for example."_

 _Learning to walk? A slight, confused furrow came to his brow as the Jedi pondered his wife's words. But then, he felt it. Padme's smile only widened until her face positively shone with the knowledge he himself was only beginning to sense. Anakin felt it, the burst of light inside of her, the life…_

 _His gaze fell lower, to where one slim arm came around her midriff and he felt his jaw fall loose. No… She wasn't… Was she? Was it really possible? A breathy exhale flew from his mouth without his command and Anakin felt himself begin to tremble slightly. "You…" He breathed. "Angel, you're…" Unable to stutter the words aloud for himself, Padme happily spoke to ease him of the struggle._

" _Yes." She nodded giddily, eyes filled with a joy brighter than any jewel or star. "It's been some weeks now, but I wanted to be sure before I told you. And I_ _ **am**_ _sure. Ani, I'm pregnant." Upon speaking the words out loud, an elated little giggle fell from her mouth and Anakin surged forward, crossing the balcony in only three short strides to sweep his wife into his arms, her amazed delight infectious. He heard himself laugh breathlessly as her own arms came up as they took each other's faces in their hands, lips colliding in the greatest happiness he'd ever felt._

 _When they parted, Anakin lifted her off her feet and spun them both in a little circle as the joy of it spread to his every vein, and fuelled his every breath as Padme's sweet laughter filled the air. For one fleeting moment for the Jedi and the Senator, everything was perfect._

What Anakin wouldn't have given to go back to those times… _Happier_ times when all had been well between them and the biggest disagreement they had was whether they were having a girl or a boy. New tears came to the Jedi's eyes as he watched over his sleeping son, stroking his hair gently, and he swore to the Force that he'd put things to rights again. He was going to make things right again for Luke and his baby girl. _His._ Not Kenobi's. They deserved nothing but happiness, and as their father, Anakin would ensure that they had it. They would have _everything_. But first, he had to save them, all three of them. He was going to find the answer Darth Plagueis found so long ago and he was going to use it to save his family.

And then, the darker part of himself, the part of his soul that craved _power_ , who revelled and thrived in bloodshed, that'd roared in victory when he'd slain the sand people beneath the stars, the dragon on his shoulder hissed, _and then he was going to kill Kenobi for trying to take what was his._


	14. Chapter 14

She knew it was hopeless, that the possibility was so remote, not even the most thrill-seeking gamblers would take the odds, but still, Padme hoped that by now Anakin might have calmed down, might have let his manipulated mind see sense and she might find him waiting for her, ready to talk. But as the Senator rushed into her bedroom, her body heaved a great, disappointed sigh to find it empty. _He hadn't come._ So that meant he was still angry with her, that he still believed in what Palpatine said… By the Force, despite being born without a violent tendency, Padme wished nothing but horrors upon that man for the distance he'd placed between her and Anakin and the damage it'd caused their marriage. The longer this went on, the more irreparable it became, and she just didn't know what to do.

Who could she turn to for advice? Her friends? Mainly, they were her staff – the ones that knew about her marriage anyway, that was. And by knowing what they knew, their wellbeing was threatened from so many sides… The people she trusted to know her secrets knew too much already, and Padme feared what turning to them now may cause. Someone could betray her and spill her secrets to anyone who'd be willing to pay to hear them. She feared they already had, how else was Palpatine able to receive security footage from here? No, she couldn't speak with them.

Her family? While there were many things they knew about Padme's marriage and children, there were also a great many they did not. Quite simply, there were things that a woman sometimes didn't desire her mother, father or sister to know about… These severe problems between her and Anakin were one of them. It was private, _their_ business, no one else's. But she needed _someone_ to listen, to understand her thoughts and feelings so she knew she wasn't crazy! Who? There was _no one_.

Never in her life, had Padme felt so utterly alone.

Lip trembling, she stepped out of her bedroom again and began down the short hall to check on Luke. It was late, but she needed to make sure he was alright before she could settle. _Not_ that Padme imagined she'd have any rest tonight. Sighing again, her arm reached out to press down on the button to open the doors with what little energy she had left. Once the doors pulled apart, Padme saw him – saw them both. Luke was blissfully asleep curled up warmly within his boyish blue blankets, peaceful as always and if things were different, Padme would have smiled. But her attention only focused on the little boy for a moment, for her eyes almost immediately snapped to her husband where he too was asleep by their son's bedside. _So he had come... Just not to her._

If their roles were switched, she would like to believe that her faith in him was strong enough to rise about Palpatine's lies. That if she were presented with a holo of Anakin kissing another and he claimed it wasn't real, she would stand by him… Wouldn't she? The holo looked so real… Everyone in that room with the exception of Bail probably thought what they saw was true too, but Padme cared _nothing_ for what her peers thought of her right now, their opinions weren't what was important. But she _did_ care about Anakin. And the beautiful, fragile heart he'd placed into her palms which Palpatine was trying to take away for reasons she didn't understand.

Although her feet ached horribly, and her spine roared in protest, Padme carefully eased herself down beside her husband on the floor and gently carded her fingers through his soft tousled hair. She missed him… It felt like they were thousands of parsecs away from one another despite physically being so close. She'd never felt further away from him. Anakin was her best friend, the person she shared _countless_ little jokes with, flirted with, laughed with… They told each other _everything_ despite the difficulty that came with always being honest about their feelings. He was _more_ than just her husband or father of her children, he was her _partner_ , her other half… And he was being pulled away from her faster than she could reach out to pull him back. They were all fighting over him, Padme, the Jedi, Palpatine… They were pulling and pushing and he was being torn apart before her very eyes.

Usually, if they were in a fight so intense that words alone could not resolve their differences, Padme had found there were other means to find forgiveness. One which in all their years of marriage had _never_ failed… Sex. No disagreement had ever been able to withstand their passion for each other, and if it were any other time, any other moment, she might have tried. But the time they lived in was now, and now Padme couldn't imagine anything _worse_ than enduring the act. Not because she desired him less than she always had, but she was _exhausted._ Her body was utterly drained and ached from carrying around the extra weight and laying on her back for any longer for a few minutes _hurt,_ and it would be far too _vigorous_ if she were to be the one on – well, it didn't really matter did it? Padme wasn't sure he'd even have her if she offered… He _believed_ what Palpatine said, which meant he believed that she and Obi-wan had betrayed him in the worst of ways. The most intimate.

Padme wished she had the courage to wake him, but the very fact that he slept was a small miracle in itself. Since the nightmares started, she knew how difficult it'd been for him to rest. Those nightmares were ruining him… They were ruining their lives. Ruining their final days together. She could feel it in her back, the building pressure and it only meant one thing… Within the next day or two, the little one would be making her way into the world and Padme… She wouldn't be here to make things right.

"Oh, Ani…" She whispered, stroking his cheek. "I _love_ you… I don't think that I tell you enough – that I _ever_ told you enough…" Twin tears fell upon her cheeks as she spoke. "But I _do_ … And no matter what, I always will. _Always."_ She leaned forward to press her lips to his cheek and lingered here for several moments. When would she have a chance to do this again? To feel his arms around her again? To wake up to his gentle snores first thing in the morning? Would she get to see he and Luke playing together again? Or see him with the baby, just once? She sniffled and brought a hand to her mouth to hold back the sob that threatened to escape. Anakin always felt she put her work above their marriage, that she put duty first, and it was true, she _was_ guilty of that. These last few weeks especially… She just had so little time left that she wanted – _needed_ to make it mean something. She'd wanted the war to end, to see the back of Palpatine's days in office, to leave behind something for her children – _peace_ and security. She'd thrown herself into her meetings with Bail, Mon and the others, into Senate hearings and long talks with the Queen and in doing that, Padme knew what she'd sacrificed. She knew what she'd sacrificed all throughout the war by burying herself in her work… How many times had Anakin been granted leave time only to spend it waiting around the apartment for her return? How many meetings with Luke's teachers had she rescheduled or simply missed?

How many times had Anakin suggested going away together, all three of them, somewhere they wouldn't have to pretend just for a little while? How many times did she choose work instead? She'd achieved so much in her professional life, more than most beings her age certainly… She was acclaimed, beloved by her people and highly respected in the Senate. But for what? A legacy? Perhaps a statue somewhere in Theed? She could have been making memories with her family with all the hours she'd spent behind a desk. What was Luke going to remember as he grew up? Kisses goodbye in the morning? Force, she and Anakin had never even been able to just take him to the little swing parks he loved!

She wasn't there when Anakin taught Luke how to swim… She'd gone back inside to take a holonet call with the Queen, even after he'd asked her not to… The memory hadn't really bothered Padme until now. It hadn't been a very big deal to her – she was taught to swim by her sister, not her parents after all. It was never a _special moment_ in her eyes. But when she thought back to that warm day on the beach, all Padme remembered was the sound of Anakin and Luke's laughter drifting into her office through the open window while she spoke of trade negotiations… She'd give _anything_ to see the moment Anakin let go and Luke's little arms and legs flailed in the water to find balance. She should have been in the water with them, splashing and playing along too.

But then, Padme was never very good at being _silly_. She wasn't the playful parent that had never been up for debate. She could still remember the moment when Luke was around three or four, when he'd toddled into her office, clutching the starship toy Anakin had _acquired_ for him whilst on some mission or another and looked at her with his big blue eyes and asked, " _Will you play with me?"_ It was then she'd realised she had absolutely _no idea_ what to do in that respect. So she'd continued typing up her bill and let Captain Typho play with him instead…

Remembering that now broke her heart.

Padme wasn't a bad mother, she knew that. She provided for her son well, she saw that he received the best education… She _loved_ him more than any words could describe. But she wasn't very good with young children. Anakin always had to drag her into his and Luke's games whether it was with toys or blades or simple imagination, and Padme had more often than not just sit there, stiffly, unsure what she was to do. But she _was_ good with story time… Luke loved her stories, especially the story of how Queen Amidala defeated the Trade Federation… He hadn't quite pieced together exactly who the Queen was quite yet. He always came to her over Anakin for stories, because her ability far surpassed his. His stories were clumsy and rushed and though full of adventure, left _many_ questions which always bothered Luke. He liked closure in his happy endings.

There was a Senate meeting due the day after tomorrow, though Palpatine hadn't specified just what he needed to say, he'd made it clear that _all_ must attend. Padme decided there, in that very moment that she would attend, and after… No more work. What little time she had left was going to be spent with her son and her husband, making amends and memories and she was going to try harder to take part in their games, to be better at _playing_. Her work fulfilled her, that was true. What she did helped people, not only _her_ people, but people all across the Galaxy and that was what drove her every day and night to do what she did. Padme took the greatest pride possible in knowing that her efforts had made a difference. But it wasn't about her anymore. It couldn't be.

Someone else would step up to take care of the people of the Galaxy, because Padme Amidala had done enough for one lifetime and her legacy would prove that. But for these final days of her life, Padme Skywalker needed to work on a different kind of legacy. One far more important to her family that would have to continue on when she couldn't. She needed to be a wife and a mother, not a Senator. And that was exactly what she was going to do.

 _ **A/N: So, this was originally a part of the next chapter, that's why it's so short. But upon rereading it, I realised it needed to be on its own despite the length in order to really let the emotions flow uninterrupted. Poor Padme… They always say it's what you didn't do you regret, not what you did. Leave a review and let me know what you think!**_


	15. Chapter 15

He couldn't concentrate. Not as the committee droned on about small victories and losses and the blue-hued holograms fizzled in and out of clear condition. Anakin's mind was full and angry. He'd woken early, before dawn to find Luke still half-unconscious as expected, but also Padme asleep by his side, kneeling as uncomfortably as he did by the bed. Despite everything, he'd forced his stiff limbs up, out of their crouched position and carefully taken her body into his arms to place her in their bed. Sleeping on the floor was beneath her. And mercifully, Padme was a heavy sleeper… Anakin had often joked that a wild shaak could run through their bedroom and she wouldn't notice. The thought did not make him smile now.

High up in one of the Jedi Temple's pillars, his arms crossed over his chest as Ki-Adi-Mundi droned on and on about some blockade Force only knew where, and usually, this was the type of conversation Anakin _would_ listen into with keen interest, battle committees were the air that he breathed… But this morning his mind was occupied by dark thoughts of the Chancellor. His stunt yesterday didn't bode well… Padme and Kenobi's names were going to be whispered all across the Galaxy and rumours of their affair would spread and spread fast to everyone willing to listen… Anakin wasn't sure how it could be stopped now.

People would question her policies; they'd jeer and judge as if they'd committed no wrongdoing in their lives ever… The parentage of Anakin's children would come into question, too. This wasn't going to make things any easier for them when the truth of their marriage came out. The gossip was already going to be rife, and now… The Jedi near shuddered to imagine the frenzy the story would create with the journalists.

There would be no peace for them _anywhere_ , not even in Naboo.

He might have sighed if he weren't in the presence of four Jedi Masters. _What_ was Palpatine thinking? He claimed to be Anakin's _friend_ , and yet he'd sprung that footage on everyone as if his life could continue on without damage. As if it would not _humiliate_ him before everyone in that chamber. Palpatine's behaviour was callous. Cruel. It wasn't an act of friendship that happened in the office last night, and Anakin began to wonder if perhaps, to an extent, Padme might have been right about him.

Suddenly, between the flickering images of Aayla Secura and Ki-Adi-Mundi, Commander Cody's own appeared, shocking Anakin out of his thoughts. Cody was with Obi-wan on Utapau, so why was he reporting to them instead of his old mentor? Something in the Jedi hoped that Grievous might have spared him the task of enacting his revenge…

"I apologise for interrupting." The Commander nodded once, respectfully to each of them who stood there, before continuing. "General Kenobi has made contact with Grievous and the attack has begun."

So it was done then. The beginning of the end of the Clone Wars… It was _so_ close that Anakin could _taste_ it. Soon, Grievous would be dead, and the Separatists would be on their knees and then… And then it would be a new Galaxy. Time at last for the truth of the Skywalker's to be known. But before he could settle into the next phase of his life, Anakin knew there was still Kenobi to deal with. He couldn't live on knowing what had happened and forgive it. He _couldn't_. So long as he was alive, Kenobi was his rival, and now that he knew it, the Jedi understood what had to be done. _One could only hope Grievous might deal out a fatal injury or two before dying…_

As quickly as he'd come, Cody was gone leaving the Jedi to discuss the news unheard. After a moment, Master Windu leant against the table heaving a heavy sigh that sang with dread. "I worry that if Master Kenobi is able to defeat General Grievous that the Chancellor will find yet another way to use it to remain in office." Across the table, Aayla nodded, setting one blue hand upon her hip with a fierce scowl Anakin had seen more than one man run from in the past.

"Yes… I think we all know he'll do what must be done to remain in power."

"If stop him, we do not…" Yoda huffed. "Clutch at the power of his position, he will."

Anakin watched them all, and for the first time, he couldn't find it in his heart to deny their words about the Chancellor. It was _he_ after all, who'd uttered the words, _"those who gain power, become afraid to lose it."_ It was a universal truth, Palpatine said so himself… And that truth extended to the Supreme Chancellor. All those amendments to the constitution, the emergency powers, all of it, it wasn't for the good of the Galaxy, it was for power, wasn't it? But – but he… He _cared_ about the Galaxy and what became of it… Anakin was _sure_ … No. No, he wasn't sure at all. Not anymore.

"Anakin," Mace turned to him, the baldness of his head shining with the reflective lights of the holos, and he felt dread sink into his belly beneath the Jedi Master's stare. "Your… _Friendship_ with the Chancellor, has it revealed anything of his intentions for the Galaxy?"

What had it revealed? A great many things… Some things Anakin wished he'd never come to know, but he knew what he knew though none of it could reach the ears of anyone here without destroying everything. "I…" He began unsurely and he eyed his fellow Jedi one by one before he spoke again. "I believe the Chancellor has his own ambitions. Ones that don't carry the best intentions for the Republic." To admit such a thing out loud, _hurt._ It felt like a betrayal to his friend after everything Palpatine had done for him… But yet, Anakin _did_ wonder, what _were_ the man's intentions? He humiliated Padme before the other Senator's to turn their attention away from the questions they asked. Even Anakin, unskilled in the ways of politics could understand a deflection when he saw one. But _why_? What was he hiding?

"It surprises me to hear you say this, young Skywalker…" Windu's eyebrows rose, creating several wrinkled folds high on his forehead. "Your friendship with Palpatine has always seemed… Strong…" The Jedi chose his words carefully, and his dark eyes bore into Anakin's hard. Strong was a word he would have used too. And resilient. Now he would call it… Shaken. Unsure. Recoverable? Not without a very long talk and plenty of understanding. But Anakin meant what he said. Palpatine's intentions were unclear and shrouded in shadows that'd only just become visible to his eyes.

"Don't mistake friendship for blind loyalty." Anakin warned quietly, " _Master."_ He amended after a moment. Windu glanced back over his shoulder to the short blue glimmer of Yoda and the pair exchanged an uneasy glance together which he watched carefully. They didn't trust him, nor did they trust the Chancellor. But now his friendship with Palpatine was not what it'd once been, where did that leave him in the eyes of the Council, he wondered?

"To him now, you must go, Anakin…" Master Yoda spoke at last as the transmission from Aayla Secura flickered harshly; throwing the Twi'lek's image into nothingness for a moment. "This report, deliver to him." Anakin's eyes swept across the chamber from where Aayla reappeared as silently as she'd melted away, to where the deceptively small frame of the Jedi Master sat in his rounded chair in Kashyyyk and hesitated there. Go to Palpatine now? How was he supposed to do that? He hadn't even spoken to _Padme_ yet! He needed time to think, to meditate and find the truth of what was happening… Anakin wasn't ready to face Palpatine yet.

Nodding solemnly, Anakin fell into a shallow bow. "Yes, Masters."

He'd do what needed to be done.

* * *

The Senate was eerily quiet when the Jedi arrived. Hardly anyone lingered in the impossibly large hollowed hallways, and those who did seemed to rush toward their apartments and offices without a sound. Anakin's boots seemed to thunder across the plush blood red carpets, the sound drowned out only by the winding buzz of R2D2's wheels following behind him. The air in the building was thick with… What was it? Anticipation? Dread? It felt as if he'd come at the wrong time… As if he was interrupting something… Not even droids, protocol, or otherwise lingered around giving the entire place a sense of emptiness he'd never felt from it before. Something small in the back of Anakin's head thrummed uncomfortably. He wasn't supposed to be here… That's what it felt like. He was an intruder here this evening, uninvited, unexpected… But that was exactly what the Council wanted, wasn't it? Without a session of the Senate, most Senators wouldn't bother leaving their homes, they knew that, and Palpatine might feel… Free to react how he truly felt. After all, he and Anakin were friends, weren't they? There weren't any pretences between friends…

If it weren't for the strange, tingling anxiety dancing through Anakin's body like a thousand needles pricking his skin, he might have rolled his eyes.

The closer he drew to Palpatine's public office, the worse it felt. The harder it became to _breathe_. Was he imagining it? Maybe the dread he felt at facing Palpatine again had tapped into the Force becoming something close to a physical manifestation of his feelings? Whatever the truth, whatever the alarming sense of terror he felt at the prospect of entering the office came from, Anakin tried to cast it aside. He'd need his wits about him for this. This was a report, something he'd delivered to the Chancellor _countless_ times before. But this was not like any of those times. This report was the beginning of the end. The twilight of the Clone Wars at last. As he watched the Chancellor's face closely while delivering the news, it would be the closing of their friendship as it had been, Anakin knew it. Because, if it ever became a choice between Padme and Palpatine, between the man who had guided him, who'd advised him, helped him, perhaps even loved him as a man did his son, or grandson, and the woman who loved him, who understood him to his core, who'd blessed him with his children… Then Anakin could only choose one. The need for a choice had been simmering for half a decade now, threatening to spill over and at last, yesterday in the very office Anakin was about to step into again, the first drops had spilt.

If there had to be a choice, then his choice was Padme. No hesitation, no regrets… She was his choice. The decision had been made already, before any of this, long ago by a balcony in Naboo where he'd pledged his life to her and _meant_ it. Anakin only mourned that… That perhaps he'd made her doubt his choice, that _she_ was his choice. And if she _had_ chosen another over him, if she'd loved Obi-wan in all the ways that should have been for them, then… Well then… For a moment, Anakin faltered, pausing his steps as his breath came quicker and his mouth dried suddenly. What then? Padme was his choice, but what of _her_ choice? Who did she choose? Anakin leant back against the thick marble pillar for a moment, feeling the cold somehow seep through the layers of his clothing to sting at his back and heaved a great, long, sigh. _It didn't matter who she chose…_ Something dark within him whispered. _Obi-wan would soon be dead. By you hand, or Grievous_ '.

The sinful pledge to murder the man who took his place sent a strange waver of something sombre through the Jedi's body. How would it feel, to take the life of the man who'd raised him? To look into Kenobi's eyes and take his revenge? Anakin had had a Padawan once. He'd been someone's Master. How might he have felt to awaken to the hiss of twin green blades unleashed to kill him? But then, that would never have happened. Despite it all, to the very end, Anakin hadn't betrayed Ahsoka. But Obi-wan had betrayed him.

His eyes fell closed for a long moment, to try and cast all this to the back of his mind for now. This was not the time for such ominous thoughts. Anakin needed to do what he'd come here for, and return to the Temple and barricade himself within his small chambers and meditate until his mind was once more clear of all the… Noise that clouded it. He only had to get through this meeting first and then all would be better. As if he'd heard his master's thoughts, Artoo bumped against Anakin's leg impatiently, clicking and chirping away and even now his great fondness for the droid who'd become his friend overtook it all to bring a smile to his downturned lips. "I know, I know…" He reached down to place his gloved palm flat against the cold dome of Artoo's head. "Let's get this over with."

The quiet stretched on as Anakin and Artoo reached the large arched doorway which led into the office of the Chancellor, even the redrobes who'd usually greet him with respectful greetings and curt nods remained stiff and distant. Though he sensed their eyes on him. All of them. And he hated it. For the first time, the Jedi bypassed the protocol of pressing the chiming alarm which would announce the presence of a visitor to the Chancellor and his staff and opened the doors with a quick wave of his hand. They split apart and spread open immediately but Anakin didn't step inside right away, instead, he turned back to Artoo and fell to one knee and his voice dropped to a whisper. "Listen, I want you to record everything that happens in there, alright? Back it up to your main drives and encrypt it." Without waiting for a response, he rose back up, squared his shoulders, and walked inside.

The short walk from the doorway to the beginnings of the office saw Anakin's fingers begin to tremble, and so he crossed his arms over his chest, letting the long sleeves of his cloak bury the shaking digits in their rough textured embrace. From the high-backed chair which lay straight ahead, he could just barely see snow-white tufts of thinning hair and knew Palpatine was there. His stomach churned unpleasantly, but Anakin forced himself onward. It was too late to turn back now. Just before Palpatine was a red framed holo of… Something… It danced in the air in front of the old man for just long enough for the Jedi's keen eyes to make out something spherical before it collapsed back into the disk it had been burned into. Anakin just barely kept a curious frown from his face as the chair began to spin around, and Palpatine faced him.

"Chancellor." Anakin greeted coolly, beginning the few short stairs which lay between where Palpatine sat and him. Wasting no more time, he began the report. "We've just received a report from Master Kenobi," His eyes narrowed slightly, watching the other man's face closely, "He has engaged General Grievous."

For his part, the Chancellor gave nothing away. "We can only hope Master Kenobi is up to the challenge… We both know there were… _Better_ candidates for the mission." He baited with a small nod as if expecting Anakin to agree, and the Jedi felt his body slacken for a moment. Was he trying to stroke Anakin's ego _now_? Surely, he wasn't serious.

"I'm sure he is." He grit his teeth, unwilling to speak of Kenobi's talents ever again.

"Anakin, it really is upsetting to me to see that the Council let your talents go to waste… That they send a man older than you, less fit than you… Less _powerful_ than you, to do a job they claim you were born to do." This caught his attention, and Anakin raised an eyebrow. What was he talking about? _Born to do_? No one was born to kill General Grievous… He was a creation, a nuisance, something the Separatists clung to in the hopes of prolonging this war.

"Born to do?" He repeated.

"Well, you _are_ the Chosen One, are you not?" Palpatine asked, and Anakin's lips pursed tightly. He did know what to say to that, to agree or to deny it… He'd been told he was the Chosen One – or at the very least, taunted with it, constantly since he was nine years old. It made him different, or special, or dangerous depending on who you asked, both inside the Temple and outside. Other Padawans hated him for it. Older Jedi held him to a degree Anakin could never live up to. _He_ hadn't believed in any of it until he woke with strange half memories of a different world and a being named The Father… The Chosen One… Anakin _was_ the Chosen One, he didn't doubt it anymore. But destroying Grievous wasn't what would bring balance to the Force… Was it? As his thoughts raced, the Chancellor spoke again. "Don't you wonder why they won't make you a Jedi Master, Anakin?"

He forced himself to look at the other man again and tried not to let his words change the course of the meeting. "I'm sure they have their reasons. I'm still young. There's plenty of time." Anakin wasn't here to discuss this matter again; he'd spoken of it, raged about it, and simmered on it enough. The Council had made their decision, and he needed to focus his mind and efforts on saving Padme. Elevations and respect could come later, when he'd defied death itself to save her. Palpatine's petty baiting wasn't going to pull him back from his mission.

"They don't trust you." Palpatine looked distressed on Anakin's behalf as the Jedi began to pace a small circle around the area he stood in. _No… No, this was not how this was supposed to go…_ He didn't want to go over this again. He didn't want to _speak_ to Palpatine again right now. They weren't friends, not anymore. If he truly cared about Anakin, then whatever the truth of that footage, he would never have let eyes other than his own see it. _Never_. Palpatine stood suddenly, and Anakin turned back to face him. "They're intimated by you… By your _potential_. One day you'll be more powerful than any of them." He began to take the stairs back toward the outer spaces of his office, and Anakin followed silently and tipped his head for Artoo to do the same. "But they won't help you achieve that power, not ever. They will hold you back until your dying day, Anakin." Their eyes met, and the Jedi felt a cold shiver creep along his neck. "There are other options for you… Other paths you can take. Let me show you the things they never will. I can show you the secrets of the Force."

Anakin paused in the small corridor between the smaller office they'd stepped out of and the far larger, main office where the Chancellor took his meetings and felt his breath catch in his throat. What was that supposed to mean? Only Force sensitives who'd been trained knew anything of the Force – the public at large knew only what the Council allowed them to know. Even Anakin knew only what they allowed… How could it ever be possible that Palpatine could know anything he didn't? That he knew anything at all. "The Force?" He asked to the other man's back. "What do you know of the Force?"

The old man turned around and met Anakin's demanding gaze with a soft smile as if the answer he needed was clear. "My mentor taught me all there is to know about the Force." Something in Anakin rang with danger; his fingers began to tremble as ice spread through his every limb. Something wasn't right… Suddenly he wished Windu had sent someone else in his place, or that he'd refused the order and just gone home instead. Anakin felt woefully unprepared for whatever was about to happen next. Palpatine shouldn't have a mentor; he shouldn't know anything about the Force… He wasn't a Jedi, he wasn't a Sith… He wasn't… "Even the _danger_ of the _dark side…_ " The man drawled, never once looking away from Anakin's eyes as he spoke.

 _By the Force…_

"The dark side?" Anakin demanded, "You know the Dark Side?" Those who knew the dark side were Sith who'd studied it! This wasn't possible, he was lying… This was just a trick or manipulation! It had to be… It _had_ to be. For a moment, Palpatine seemed to hesitate, mouth opened though no words came from it. His pale eyes blinked three times and Anakin's fingers twitched beside his lightsaber as something close to rage burst through all the ice. " _Answer me!"_

"Anakin…" The Chancellor said at last, "Scholars do not only study one-half of history, or art, or technology… To understand something – _especially_ something as vast and _powerful_ as the Force, one must delve into every part of it. The dark and the light. _Everything_. You must look _beyond_ the dogmatic narrative of the Jedi! You told me you wanted something better than this life – you want power, to lead, do you not? To do that, you must embrace _all_ of the Force, not just a single corner of it." As Palpatine moved, so did Anakin, never breaking eye contact, each of the men watched each other warily. They moved in a circle like animals each waiting for the other to strike first. Anakin didn't want Palpatine at his back. He didn't trust what he might do. He didn't trust _anything_ anymore. "I know what happened yesterday has shaken our friendship, my boy… But you need me. Only through _me_ can you achieve a power greater than _any_ Jedi. Learn to know the dark side of the Force, and you'll be able to save your _wife_ from death…" His features melded into a sickly, pale, smile that screamed of a smug knowledge that Anakin's mind couldn't begin to understand right now. But he _did_ understand one thing.

"I never told you about my dreams… How do you know about them?!" He snarled, and Palpatine's smile only grew.

"I think you know my boy… I think you know… I have knowledge the Jedi could only dream of, Anakin! _Use it_!"

Anakin didn't feel himself reaching for his lightsaber, nor did he remember deciding to reach for it at all, but the blue blade shot up, out of its hilt with a loud hiss and pointed at the face of the man he'd called a friend as unwanted tears of anger welled in his eyes. Betrayal coursed through him, ruling him, controlling his body as his emotions battled his mind. Everything he said, everything he hinted at only meant one thing… It meant they'd all been played against each other, the Jedi, him, the Senate, the Republic and the Separatists – they'd all been fighting each other while Palpatine tugged at their strings! He'd done _all_ of this! It'd been _him_ all along! _Him_! He was supposed to be protecting them, working for them, to create peace! But he'd created chaos and thrived upon it! He'd brought darkness to the Republic and – and… And he'd fooled them all.

All this time he thought he was fighting for the greater good, for a better tomorrow for his family when all along all it truly was… He'd been fighting a fake war! Fighting for _nothing_! Bled for nothing. Held men as they died for _nothing!_ He'd gone weeks – _months_ without Padme and Luke for _nothing!_ It was all for nothing. He'd missed Luke's first steps… Lifedays, first words… He'd been gone more than he'd been there… He'd missed anniversaries… All that time they should have been together, all those memories… Palpatine took that from him! He stole that from them! All those heartbreaking goodbyes he and Padme endured had been justified by their _duty_ to the Republic… But that duty wasn't even _real_! None of it was!

"You – you," Anakin barked, unable to _fathom_ the betrayal. "It's you! All along… You've done all of this!"

"Say it…" Palpatine coaxed and despite himself, the angry tears spilt onto Anakin's cheeks. He'd loved him as a father, as an uncle… He'd shared his life with this man, _trusted_ him, gone to him for guidance and advice and all along… All along it'd all been some hoax! He'd just been using him from the start!

"You're the Sith Lord!" He roared, forcing the words out of his mouth as the truth of it all made the Galaxy crash around his ears. "You – you betrayed us all!" Palpatine stumbled back a step or two as Anakin's lightsaber crackled angrily in his face and for several moments its hum was the only sound in the room. Neither spoke, Anakin was unable to muster more words at the moment nor could he _imagine_ what could possibly go through that man's mind.

"Anakin…" Palpatine broke the silence as they began to circle each other again, this time, Anakin carefully kept the tip of his lightsaber pointed at the old man… Force only knew _what_ he was capable of. "Are you going to kill me now?" He hadn't thought about that. But now that the words had been spoken, the desire was born. Anakin's flesh hand sweated where it held the hilt of his lightsaber, and his cybernetic fingers twitched with the need to drive it into Palpatine's throat… To _tear him limb from limb_ for what he'd done. Every dark part of him howled with bloodlust and as he seethed, Anakin bit down harshly onto his tongue to fight back the urge. He'd killed for Palpatine before, given into his anger and killed Dooku at this man's coaxing… He would not do it again, not now he knew the truth.

" _Don't_ tempt me." He growled.

" _I know you do…_ " Palpatine whispered barely above a whisper, and Anakin shuddered. "I can feel your anger… Give into it. Let it guide you." His voice rose with every word. "It will give you focus, make you stronger." The urge to raise his lightsaber and thrust it down into the man's body was too great… The more he thought of what this fake war had cost him – cost the Galaxy – the more Anakin's anger grew until his fist tightened on his lightsaber and it rose inch by inch as his lips peeled back into a snarl and –

He let the blade drop back down into the hilt with a devastated breath. His heart ached and his head was spinning but Anakin _couldn't_ give into the dark desire to kill. Not Palpatine. Not because they'd been friends or that he still felt a drop of fondness for the monster, but because it was not the Jedi way. And Anakin _was_ a Jedi. He'd already failed his Jedi duty with Dooku and he would not fail again with his master… Palpatine would be tried and sentenced. It was the only way things could be put right again.

His eyes met Palpatine's cold blues as yet another body heaving shudder tore through Anakin's body. "I'm going to turn you over to the Jedi Council."

Silence. And then, "Is that wise? Are you sure of their intentions? That they'll let me live?"

He'd live… Until the Senate and the courts decided his fate. It was not for the Council, or Anakin to decide, no matter how badly he'd like to. They had to do better, _be_ better than him or else… What hope was there for any of them? "You'll be arrested and what comes after that remains to be seen."

"Don't be a fool, Anakin…" Palpatine hissed. "You need me! Without me, her fate is sealed. You know it as well as I… Become my apprentice, and together we will find a way to save Padme and your baby." Anakin couldn't bear to hear another word, and turned, clicking his lightsaber back onto his belt as he walked as quickly as he could without breaking into a run with Artoo on his heels. "Can you live with yourself if she dies, Anakin? _Can you?!_ " Palpatine called after him and just as he stumbled out of the grand office, twin tears fell from his eyes, spilling onto his cheeks. There was a choice laid out before him, the second choice Anakin Skywalker always knew he would have to one day make, right from the start of all this, when Padme warned him it could destroy them both. _Duty or love._

Now it was time to choose.


	16. Chapter 16

How long had it been since he'd come here now? An hour? Maybe two? Standing just beyond the door of Mace Windu's private chambers in the cold Jedi Temple had stiffened every one of Anakin's limbs in reluctance. Reluctance to move. Reluctance to _choose._ If he stepped up to the door and announced himself, he'd be forced to tell the other Jedi everything he'd learned about Palpatine. But if he stayed back, turned away and left… If he did that, the evil of the Sith would be allowed to spread even further than it had already. Could he live with that? Anakin _had_ to tell Windu, it was the Jedi way. But was the Jedi way Anakin's way? It hadn't felt like the two correlated in so long that it was nearly impossible to equate them to one another now. Far back behind him, Artoo hesitated near the doorway leading back to the impossibly large hallways which spanned the entirety of the Temple. It would be _so easy_ to turn his back and leave… But something stopped him, froze him to the spot. Was it fear? Or something Anakin had found to be so much worse over the years… Duty.

His choice was impossible and completely necessary both at once. Anakin was only a man, flawed in so many incalculable ways and yet here he was… Chosen by the Force – _cursed_ by the Force to have to be the one who faced this. He was a man who had to choose between the Galaxy… And his wife. One quiet, utterly unwanted voice crept its way inside the Jedi's ear and whispered, " _What would Padme do?"_ It needn't have asked. Anakin scarcely had to think on it to know the truth. Padme loved him, deeply, recklessly, with all her heart just as he did her… But despite all that, all the risks they'd taken for each other, for their love, for their marriage and their son… Anakin knew to his soul what the answer was. Five words he'd been forced to consider and offer as an answer before when his beloved's life was in danger. _She would do her duty._

Those small, yet Galaxy churning words somehow spurred the Jedi onwards, and gave him the courage to pound at Master Windu's door with his fist, loud and urgent. He answered just a moment later, already wearing a scowl that screamed of sensing Anakin's presence before seeing him. No matter, this was not the time for their mutual petty dislike. "Anakin." The Jedi Master greeted coolly, "How did delivering your report to the Chancellor go?"

Anakin looked into the man's eyes and felt heavy with guilt. Though the Jedi were not supposed to love, just like he did, Mace Windu loved. He loved something deeply and truly and _just_ as passionately, Mace Windu loved the Republic. And Anakin was about to _destroy_ it. "He…" His tongue flicked outward to wet his too dry lips as his throat tightened, unwilling to release the words he needed to speak. "He said things… Things he should have no knowledge of."

Mace's face hardened further as his dark stare bore into Anakin's. "What things?"

"About the dark side. He said he has knowledge of it – that he… That _he's_ the Sith Lord behind all of this." The words fled Anakin's mouth and what was left was a sudden intoxicating _relief_ at sharing what he knew that before he knew it, everything began to tumble after them. "Palpatine told me he's studied both sides of the Force, and he – he wants _me_ to follow him. He said that I have potential greater than – than _this_ ," His arms swung around, gesturing to the Temple, and Mace's keen eyes followed the movements though his shoulders had slumped and his mouth had fallen slightly slackened as Anakin spoke. "He wants me to become his –"

"His new apprentice…" Windu finished for him, and Anakin's knees shook. "The rule of two is in effect. We wondered when the Sith would latch onto another pawn." The Jedi Master's brown eyes studied every inch of Anakin for a long moment, accusing and suspicious. "What did you say when this came to light?"

It was a blur in his mind already, the memory blemished by panic and betrayal. What _had_ he said? What little he could recall, Anakin recounted to Windu as they began to walk, quick strides that carried them through the Temple almost too fast for R2D2 to keep up with. "I told him that I was going to turn him over to the Council. I – I had Artoo record the whole thing." At this Windu halted so suddenly, that Anakin continued for a step or two afterwards without realising. This time, the other Jedi's eyes were not on him, but his droid as he glided toward them.

"Everything?" He asked.

Anakin nodded. "From the moment I stepped inside the office." For half a second, something between relief and joy flickered between Windu's eyes. Was it because they had all the evidence they might need to prove Anakin's claim? Or was it something else, in the light, what danced in the other man's eyes could have been mistaken for _pride_. But that was impossible surely; there was nothing to be celebrated in this. There was nothing but deep, black _dread_.

Windu's palm rose and landed upon Anakin's shoulder giving him a hard squeeze through the layers of his clothing. "You have done well, Anakin. With your discovery and the recording, we can for once and for all end the Sith's tyranny upon the Galaxy." Is that what'd he'd done? Helped to end the Sith's tyranny? It didn't feel like that at all, in fact, it felt like… _Nothing_. Like he'd done nothing, saved no one. Was this the prophecy being fulfilled? He hadn't expected it to feel so… Hollow. When he said nothing, Mace continued, "There are other Master's in the Temple, I'm going to gather them and together we shall arrest the Chancellor. If he already knows of our arrival, he will be prepared."

This snapped Anakin free of the dark clutch of his thoughts, "I should be there too. You may –"

"No!" Windu shook his head, his grip on Anakin's shoulder growing tighter, almost painful. "You said yourself; he desires that you become his new apprentice. Your presence there could be very dangerous. Palpatine has shown himself to be a master manipulator, a skill I have no doubt he will wield powerfully tonight. Stay here. In the Council Chambers. Do not leave until we return." His tone left no room for any of the countless arguments that rose up inside Anakin's mind. After a moment of inner debate, he nodded weakly, and Windu released him. "Good. When this is finished and the Republic has settled itself once more, I will see to it personally that you are brought onto the Council, Anakin."

He almost scoffed. He didn't _care_ about Mastery or a seat on the Council now! How could he? Elevation inside the Jedi Order was _meaningless_ after what he'd just done… His utter betrayal of Padme, the baby and Luke… He had just sentenced her to death – possibly the children too! A rippling tremor of fury shook through Anakin's body and he wanted to _scream_ , to push Windu back and roar until he understood how little he cared about the Order. _"Padme is going to die…"_ The dragon hissed in his ear, " _And it's your fault. You killed her. You've killed them all._ "

* * *

Somehow, Anakin managed to seal himself inside the wide High Council chambers and collapse into one of the wide rounded pod chairs that created the full circle, the physical embodiment of equality amongst all members while the Master's prepared themselves to leave, to fight this historic battle without him. His head was buried deep in his palms as his whole body quaked beneath the harsh waves of guilt that crashed through him. How could he live with himself after this? How could he look his wife, his son in the eye and tell them what he'd done? That he'd failed them… That he was too selfish to offer himself and his soul in sacrifice so that they may live.

Somehow, he managed to tear his head out of his hands and force his unwilling body up, out of the chair and toward the breath-taking transparisteel windows looking out over Coruscant as the sun began to set. This sunset was the twilight of something, Anakin knew that. Of Sidious? Of the war? Perhaps it was even his own. After all, who was Anakin Skywalker without Padme? Who was he without their son or their baby? _"Nothing."_ The dragon mocked him from where it perched on his shoulder. " _You killed them, and now you're nothing_."

From where he stood, the tall tower of 500 Republica stood tall and proud and impossible to miss. Anakin could not take his eyes away from it. Never once before had he longed for Padme like this... His very soul craved her presence like a starving man craved a feast. He _needed_ to see her, to tell her everything he'd learned about Palpatine and apologise to her endlessly. She'd told him _so often_ of her mistrust of him, warned him not to divulge all their secrets... And Anakin, so naive, so _desperate_ for someone to understand, had ignored her. He shrugged off her words and trusted Palpatine wholeheartedly, without hesitation. _If he'd only listened…_

If he'd only listened then maybe, just maybe, things might have been different. The war may have been over far sooner, and the dreams may never have come. She and the baby might have lived. And now… Now he was going to lose them both. Their baby girl would never get to take her clumsy first steps on the warm Naboo sand while he, Padme and Luke cheered her on, she would never say her first words as he and Padme battled over whether it should be mommy or daddy, and she'd never smile that pretty smile she would have up at them from their arms. His heart clenched impossibly painfully as he imagined it. He wouldn't see Luke grow up and became a man. Anakin wouldn't get to teach him how to shave, to give him his first proper drink when he became old enough, never see him take out his first date, offer fatherly advice when it came to girls or help him fulfil his dreams of becoming a Jedi one day. He would never grow old with Padme, retiring to Varykino once their children were grown and thrived to live out their elderly years together surrounded by their grandchildren.

What had he stolen from himself? Anakin thought miserably as tears welled in his eyes and spilt over onto his cheeks impossibly quickly, though his hand never rose up to wipe them away. After a moment, the dragon whispered, " _What have you stolen from them?"_ His eyes fell shut as more tears replaced the one that fell. How could he do this? How was he supposed to live without them? His knees felt weak again, and this time, they buckled, sending the Jedi's body crashing down onto the cold stone floor so that his back pressed back against the window. Immediately, Anakin curled in on himself, pulling his knees to his chest as he began to weep, already mourning the loss of his family. Howling in grief at what was to come with no one to blame, but himself.

He killed them.

He killed them all.

But it wasn't too late.

The thought dragged Anakin's head upward slowly from where he had pressed it against his knees with twin tears slowly beginning to roll down the length of his cheeks. He inhaled breathlessly, attempting to fill his lungs and ease the heavy weight on his chest, but it was replaced by something much, much worse. _Temptation_. Palpatine could save Padme and his children… His knowledge could prevent Anakin's dreams from coming to life, just like they had with his mother. Maybe this time, he just had to be brave enough to take that chance.

He could change this; stop the dreams by going to the Senate building right now. The Masters wouldn't be there yet and Anakin wouldn't be far behind them if he hurried… No! _No_! He couldn't. To leave the Order was one thing… One terrible thing all on its own. But to fall… To _surrender_ oneself to the dark side… Anakin couldn't! He would be no better than Dooku if he did! He _helped_ people, not hurt them. All he wanted was a life on Naboo with Padme and their children… But then, that wasn't the truth at all, was it? Anakin _did_ want more than that. He wanted power; he wanted respect, wanted to be the most powerful Jedi to ever live. And deep down, in the fiery pits of wherever the dragon had spawned within him, there was a part of Anakin which _wanted_ to go to Palpatine now. And not just for Padme. And not just for power.

If he went to Palpatine now, he could learn how to save his Angel and his children, but more than that, he could learn everything the old man had to teach and more. He could _destroy_ him from the inside. The wounded, betrayed part of Anakin that'd had loved Palpatine as a grandfather, as a mentor, wanted it. But the Jedi shuddered at the very thought of surrendering his soul for vengeance. It wasn't the Jedi way. But maybe, just maybe, it was _Anakin_ 's way.

* * *

Something beyond her, beyond any reasoning or quick wit, could understand compelled the Senator to rise from the sofa where she'd been sitting as Luke played on a holopad by her feet and drew her to the window as the sunset fell low on the sky. How, Padme didn't know, but she sensed Anakin's distress… The devastation that came over her felt unnatural and so overwhelming that tears almost welled up in her eyes. It was him. She knew it to her bones. Something was wrong. Her eyes sought out the Jedi Temple in the skyline and searched the tiny dark slits she knew to be windows despite the impossibility of seeing him from here. Anakin needed her, somewhere in there, he was suffering and she didn't know how to help him.

Deep in her chest, Padme felt a deep ache at the thought of the great burden Anakin had hauled upon himself. His desire to be the most powerful Jedi, a good father, a loving husband, the Republic's hero… No man could do it all, not even him who made the impossible look _easy_. Everything was beginning to crumble beneath the stress their great deception had created and the terror of his dreams. Padme knew that the troubled days they'd found themselves in were just as much her fault as they were his. And she felt a heavy guilt of her own for it. Below her ribs, she felt a stirring, but as her hand came to the swell of her stomach, not even the movement of her daughter could ease her sorrows.

She wished Anakin had never had that dream! She wished that she could live through giving birth. She wished many things, all impossible now. All except for one. Padme wished for peace between her and Anakin once more. She wished they hadn't grown apart since he came back and that she hadn't come to mistrust him, or him her. There was _so little_ time left for them now, but there _was_ still time. Time for her to go to him, for them to talk until their voices were hoarse and sore, until they'd sorted their disputes at last. Some damage had been dealt to their marriage through overlooked problems they'd buried beneath the rug in order to enjoy what little time they were granted together, but now the lump had grown into a mountain and they were trapped on opposite sides of it.

No more, Padme decided. She could not leave him alone in this Galaxy with so much still unresolved between them. It wasn't fair to either of them and it wasn't what she wanted their final days together to be remembered by. The very thought broke her heart. Reaching back to tug up the plush green velvet of her hood, Padme looked back over her shoulder to where Luke was watching her with wide, upset eyes. "Something's wrong." He pouted, lip trembling and fear burst into her chest. If he sensed it too, then something terrible had truly happened.

"It's alright." Padme nodded reaching out her hand to take his little one into her own. "We're going to see your father."


	17. Chapter 17

The hem and train of her gown dragged heavily on the cold stone floor of the Jedi Temple as Padme marched through the spacious, hallowed halls, all but dragging her small son along with her. They needed to be fast, something told her there wasn't much time… They had to reach Anakin, _now._ Her every footstep echoed, heels clicking audibly, no doubt alerting any who were nearby of their uninvited presence, but Padme didn't care. She had no time for secrets anymore – let _everyone_ know she was here and why. What mattered now was reaching her husband before it was too late. The further they stepped inside the building, the more Jedi they passed, though none tried to stop to question the Senator and her child about their presence here. Perhaps they could sense her urgency. Perhaps they had more important things to worry about than Padme and Luke.

 _The Council Chambers,_ something whispered to her, and the Senator didn't question it. "We're almost there, my love." She whispered to Luke through shallow panting. He'd been suspiciously quiet throughout the trip from the apartment to the Temple. It was his _dream_ to be inside the Jedi Temple, and Padme had thought he might be climbing the walls upon entering, but as she glanced down at him, her boy looked every bit as stricken and worried as she felt. "It's going to be alright, Luke, I promise." His sweet face had grown pale since the last time she looked down at him, and his eyes were wide, though not with the boyish excitement she expected.

"I don't like it here…" Luke sniffled, and though Padme looked down at him, her legs did not stop moving. "It's not good – something bad is happening, mommy. I want to go home." This gave the Senator pause, and her burning limbs were relieved of the break. Something bad? She couldn't see anything suspicious or out of place… The temple looked as it always had. But then, Padme wasn't the child of a Jedi and she lacked the skill of the force. _What was he sensing_? Was it Anakin? Something was wrong with him, wasn't there? She _knew_ it, deep in her bones; Padme knew they had to get to him and quickly. Is that what Luke felt? Were things truly so bad that their child understood the danger in the air?

"Oh, my love…" Padme cooed and stroked her slim fingers through the boy's yellow hair as softly as she could as they began to tremble. "It's going to be alright. We're going to get your father and things will be okay. We just have to get to him." Whatever was happening, Padme just had to make him see sense, and then after her final Senate hearing tomorrow, they could go home together, back to Naboo. They'd be safe again, all four of them. And they'd be together. That's what mattered. _She just had to get to him._

Eternally grateful that she'd been here so many times before that she knew exactly which turns to take and what halls lead to where they needed to be, Padme pushed her tired legs harder than she should, given her condition. She didn't have any other choice. Behind her, Luke huffed and complained about being tired, the strain taking a toll on his little legs, but they couldn't stop. They were too close now to stop. On the last turn, the large doors shielding the Jedi Council chambers came into view and Padme forced a relieved breath into her aching lungs at the sight. But before she could take another step toward them, they tore apart to reveal her husband rushing out.

Had he sensed them?

"Anakin!" Padme cried, and felt Luke's hand tighten its grip on her fingers just as he'd done so many times before when he was nervous or afraid, but lost in the wave of relief at finding her love, the thought fled her mind as quickly as it'd come without further consideration. Anakin paused for a moment and she could see the distress upon his face. It was unlike anything she'd ever seen on him before. Rage battled fear, fear battled sadness and all three of them were overshadowed by a guilty resignation that dulled his eyes. Padme moved first, taking the first steps toward him, and after a moment, he followed. They rushed toward each other and her heart could have sung at the sight.

When they were close enough, Padme released Luke's hand, reaching out for her husband and blissfully, unlike the last time they'd spoken, this time he didn't pull back. Her hands found a place on his chest as Anakin's own did the same on her waist. Neither grip gentle. Both desperate. "What're you doing here?" He said.

She could see the wet remnants of a tear on his cheek and tried not to cry. _What was going on_? "I needed to see you… Something's wrong, I know it is." Luke knew too, but the words couldn't make it past her lips.

Anakin sighed, and cast a glance down low, toward their son before taking Padme by the elbow and leading her away a few steps, just enough so that he would not overhear their whispers. "It's Palpatine." He hissed. "He's the one we – the Jedi – have been looking for, Padme." She felt herself frown as he spoke. But the Jedi were hunting an all-powerful Sith Lord – not a corrupt old politician! There had to be some sort of mistake.

" _What_? He's just an _old man_ – a corrupt one no less. Why would –"

"He's behind _all of this_ – the war, the Separatists, everything! It's all been _him._ He's the Sith Lord!" In that moment, the betrayal that shone clear upon his face outweighed her own confused feelings. It was really him… Palpatine was behind everything? But – but he'd been her _advisor_ when she was Queen! He was her trusted friend – she'd begun the vote of no confidence on his behalf all those years ago! Oh, force… He'd fooled all of them for years… He'd fooled the entire _Galaxy!_ Even toward the end, when her trust in him was gone, when she suspected him of a great many things… Padme had _never_ believed that this could happen. A _Sith Lord_ was in control of the Senate… He'd been pulling everyone's strings all this time… She wanted to be sick suddenly and felt her stomach churn unpleasantly, leaving her nauseous and dizzy.

"You have to do something! Tell someone!"

"I already did…" Anakin sighed guiltily, eyes falling low again. "Master Windu and some of the others are there now. To arrest him."

"That's a _good_ thing." Padme pressed, reaching up to stroke her hands through his hair. "Now he can be put on trial and the whole Galaxy can know the truth!" Why was he so upset? Palpatine was his friend, yes, but couldn't he see the truth through all the lies now? He'd gone to the Jedi instead of protecting Palpatine… That _had_ to mean something. Palpatine's control wasn't endless as she had feared. But Anakin wasn't simply sullen over the betrayal by a friend; the misery _flowed_ out of him in palpable waves. There was more to this. Something deeply disturbing she couldn't see yet and wasn't sure that she wanted to. "We can put all of this behind us at last!"

"I _can't_!" Anakin cried so suddenly and so loudly, his voice echoing across the high marble walls, that Padme flinched backwards half a step. "Don't you see? I _need_ him! If they arrest him, he won't help me!" His eyes had become full of anguished tears, but Padme didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to say to comfort him anymore.

"Help you?" She repeated helplessly, "I don't understand…?" What possible help could he need from a _Sith Lord_? Palpatine was _evil_ ; there was _nothing_ he could bring into their lives but more heartache. Anakin growled and ran a hand through his hair angrily; the long dark sleeve of his cloak that'd swallowed his arm fell down, hanging onto his elbow. Padme knew him well enough to see the frustration he felt, the confusion. He was torn…

"He told me… He told me the story of an old Sith, Darth Plagueis…" Padme frowned as he spoke, as his hands crept along the length of her arms to grasp at her shoulders tightly. A mad, excited gleam burst into his eyes, as if the answers to everything had suddenly revealed themselves to him, and it unsettled her. "He found a way to stop death – Palpatine can help me find it too and I can save you!"

 _Oh, Anakin…_

How much of this story had Palpatine used to twist his mind? Is _this_ why he'd been so loyal to the Chancellor recently? _He only wanted to save you_ … The thought was as heartbreaking as it was a relief. Part of Padme, the flawed, human part, made of flesh and bone and nothing perfect, who despite everything she'd faced and achieved, feared death. That part of her desired to whoop and laugh and throw her arms around her husband and child at the prospect of being saved, of being able to _live_ and see her babies grow, of living a life by Anakin's side until they were old and grey. Of laughing with her sister again. Of hugging Darred. Of seeing her parents dote on all of their grandchildren. Of seeing little Ryoo and Pooja become adults… But unlike Anakin, Padme understood the cost. What he'd be giving up by going to Palpatine now and it wasn't _worth_ it. _She_ wasn't worth it, no matter how much he loved her. No matter how much she wanted to live.

"Anakin," She spoke quietly, a new kind of a fear spreading cold through her veins. "He _must_ be arrested."

"No! You don't understand –"

"I _do_! I do understand." Padme cried, louder than she'd meant to. Her hands moved to his arms, running up and down the length of space between his shoulders and elbows. "Please, Anakin… You don't have to do this…" She shook her head, tears of her own warming her eyes, and then her cheeks, because this was it, this was the moment where she either saved him, or she lost him forever. And she felt wholly unprepared for such a mammoth task.

"I _do._ " He barked, disgust and fear evident in his voice. "I won't lose you, Padme."

The sweet, loving words should have been just that. They should have caressed her mind and whispered of his endless adoration. They should have made Padme feel _safe._ But those words were the furthest thing from loving. They were a whispered threat, a dark promise that jeopardised his very _soul_ on her behalf. It wasn't right. Anakin's intense gaze seared into Padme's and for a moment, the Senator was frozen in place, small and frightened and suddenly she longed for her mother's arms to sink into and weep until she fell asleep. She swallowed the thick, unmoving lump that came into her throat and stiffly shook her head. This isn't what she wanted. This was _never_ what she wanted! How had she come here, to this time where what felt like the fate of the Galaxy rested upon her shoulders?

"I don't want to be saved." Her head shook again as she spoke, barely above a whisper, and her words cast a deep frown upon his face. "Not like this, not through _evil_."

"What's going on?" A small, timid voice drew the attention of husband and wife away from one another and toward their son, who stood where Padme had left him, tiny and trembling and her heart near burst with its aching. This wasn't _fair_. She shouldn't have brought Luke here. He shouldn't be forced to see this. But deep down, Padme knew that she had no other choice _but_ to bring him along, and worse, she knew why. She'd hoped that the sight of their boy, their sweet, innocent boy, the living proof of their love, might turn things around and prove to Anakin what there was to fight for… That they still had a future, no matter how short. _He had something to fight for_.

Anakin managed a small smile toward the boy, barely a stretch of the corners of his lips, but it was more than Padme could force right now. "Don't worry, Little One. After today, everything's going to be alright again…" His eyes wandered to Padme's and the overwhelming _pain_ she saw in his gaze broke her heart. "I _promise."_

"Please don't do this…" She heard herself whisper and grabbed at his sleeves again, growing frantic. "If Palpatine is truly a Sith Lord, his help will come at a price you _can't_ pay, Anakin. You _know_ what he'll ask you to do." They both knew, for they'd seen the cost that the Sith paid. Maul and Dooku's lives and deaths were the warnings he needed to heed. He would be forced to leave the Jedi Order and join… Join the… Force, she could scarcely even _think_ of the words, much less make herself say it.

She didn't have to. Anakin spared her the effort with a low, resigned nod. "The Dark Side. I'll have to join it – fall into it… I know."

"No! No, you don't have to do _anything!_ " When he turned his face away from her, Padme's hands caught his cheeks in her palm and turned it back, forcing them to endure each other's gaze. "Anakin… I would rather _die_ than let this happen. You're a good person – don't do this!"

His arms came around her then, tight and desperate and Padme's breath fled her lungs, but she didn't care, throwing her own arms around him just as fiercely. Hope unwillingly begun to spark inside her chest as a little voice sang in her mind that it was working... That he was _listening_ to her. But as quickly as Padme's small hope was born, Anakin cruelly crushed it beneath his boot with one harsh stamp.

He pulled back to look her in the eye, "Have you ever heard the code of the Sith?" Padme's lip trembled. _No_ , she'd never heard of the Sith code! Nor did she want to, not ever. But Anakin paused only long enough for a breath to pass through her lips before continuing, not waiting to hear her answer. " _Peace is a lie. There is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The force shall set me free._ It could work for us, Padme! We could be together – openly at last!"

He was lying to himself. And worse, he was lying to _her_. Praising the Sith code as such a conversion could be _honourable_ or good for their family… What was he thinking?! Before she could think about it any longer, Padme's hands came up and with as much strength as she could gather shoved at his chest with both hands, pushing him away. She couldn't _stand_ being so close to him when he was talking this way. It wasn't Anakin speaking now, these weren't his words! They were Palpatine's, even now when his true nature had been revealed; his teachings clung to Anakin still. _Would they never be free of him_?

"Stop this!" She cried, stepping backwards. Her shoulders heaved with barely restrained sobs. " _Stop it!_ This isn't you… You – you're a good person, a _hero!_ Not a Sith. You could _never be…_ " Her words died in her throat, unable to battle their way through the unmovable lump of grief in her throat. Frantically, Padme looked over her shoulder, toward Luke and darted across the small space toward him. The boy didn't move, nor did he hold up his arms for his mother the way he always had. But she had no time to think about that. Her hand quickly wrapped itself around his small, unwilling wrist, though he whimpered and pulled backwards, but Padme didn't pause. _She couldn't_.

In her rashness, she didn't think about the tears that spilt onto her beloved's little pink cheeks, or the way that his free hand clawed at her own to get free, only that she needed him close by to truly make his father see sense again. Padme half-dragged Luke toward Anakin whose gaze flickered between them, distressed and unsure. " _Look at him!_ " She seethed, repeating the words when he did not. Do you want to tell _your son_ what you did? That you fell to the _dark side_?! Anakin, he _worships you_!"

"Don't do that!" He pointed at her furiously, eyes ablaze in the hot, seething rage Padme had only seen in him once before, in the half-moment before he attacked Rush Clovis. "Don't use him against me, Padme!"

"I'm not using him against you!" She cried, "I'm trying to make you understand…"

"You shouldn't have brought him here." Anakin turned his back toward them both, his black cloak brushing against her shins through her dress as he did so. "He doesn't need to see this."

"But he _will_ see it, Anakin! He'll see it every single day for the rest of his life if you do this!" Luke tugged at her hand, still attempting to pry himself free of Padme's iron grip, but she couldn't find the strength to glance down at him quite yet. "You're being selfish!"

Her words triggered something within him, something Padme was only just beginning to see behind his eyes, and his body spun around so quickly that she hardly saw him move at all. " _Selfish?!_ " He roared and she swallowed, raising her chin stubbornly. "I'm giving up _everything_ for you!" He pointed toward her again, "I'll bend to Palpatine _for you_! It's all been for _you_!"

Padme's wrist moved without her permission and quicker than she could ever mean it to until it collided with his cheek with a brutal _smack_ that left them both reeling in the following moments. The sound echoed around the vast walls for one awful moment and then, there was silence. Pain shot through her wrist and fingers, but Padme hardly felt it. _She hit him._ Force… She lifted her hand to him… And in front of their son! _What was she thinking_?! Anakin's wide, shocked eyes and she gasped.

"Anakin…" His fingers came up to gingerly touch his rapidly reddening cheek, but before anything else could be said between them, Luke burst into loud, distressed wails. His small head was thrown backwards as fat, childish tears rolled onto his cheeks and Padme almost joined him in weeping. "No, no, Luke, it's alright…" She tried to comfort him, falling heavily onto her knees to run her fingers through his bright, blonde hair in gentle caresses but nothing would soothe him. "Sweetheart, stop crying… What's wrong?"

What an idiotic question to ask of him, she thought. What was wrong? _Everything_ was wrong. Padme couldn't recall a moment where everything had felt _right_ at the moment, and the realisation was heartbreaking. Her head turned to find Anakin watching them, frozen in place and either ignoring or unseeing her silent plea to join her. Luke needed them _both_ right now. He needed them to come together again and make it better… Padme couldn't do this on her own.

And he did, he came toward them, silent as a shadow and joined them on the floor, swooping down to press his lips to Luke's hair. "You don't need to be afraid." He whispered, "I'm going to make everything better." The boy's little body quaked breathlessly under the weight of his cries, and Anakin held him as he fought to breathe, running long fingers across his back in the gentlest touch.

"You… You're… Not… Going… Away?" Luke's voice was strained and struggled to make it past his lips as his chest heaved in the childish, overwhelmed way young children could become after a long cry. Something in Anakin's face hardened, though Luke couldn't see from where his head had pressed itself into his father's chest. But Padme saw. And it frightened her to her core.

"I'm not going anywhere, buddy."

He was lying again.

" _Please,_ " Padme found herself saying again. "Don't do this… I'll _never_ forgive you if you go to him." And she meant it, every word. Falling to Palpatine was a betrayal of everything he was as a person, as a husband and a father. It was a betrayal to their marriage and their children. They deserved _better_. Yet more tears slipped onto Padme's pale cheeks and after a few seconds of watching their son, Anakin's free hand reached out to gently brush them away with the calloused pad of his thumb.

And then, he began to move, carefully slipping out from beneath Luke's little body and passing him into Padme's arms, his face full of regret and sorrow as he stood. "You may never forgive me, Angel, but at least you'll be alive."

He turned away from them, storming down the same endless hallway Padme and Luke had run through to find him without another word with long strides and ignored her desperate cries of name as they resounded around the Temple walls, louder and louder and more and more desperate until he tugged up his hood, and vanished through an unseen door near the end of the corridor. As Luke sniffled into her shoulder, Padme howled a long, anguished and wordless cry of grief and heartbreak.

Anakin was gone.

She'd lost him.


	18. Chapter 18

He could _feel_ it. It carried itself through the air, through his every breath and thought. Anakin's anguish rode the ripples in the Force, allowing the dark lord to sense every wave of the turmoil that swept through his young body. Whatever had happened, he had no knowledge of, nor a desire to know. He didn't need to know, for he knew well exactly what it meant. He had _won._ The boy was coming and he was coming fast. The Jedi's hold had been all but eradicated. But there _was_ some light that lingered within him, something that Sidious would personally see stamped out across the coming days to ensure his new apprentice's total loyalty to him, and the Dark Side.

But first, there was important work to be done. Something Darth Sidious had been waiting a _very_ long time to do. Through the Force, he felt it, the Jedi Masters were also approaching the Senate building with a determination that made the Sith want to throw back his head and cackle. But it was not the time for victorious laughter, not quite yet. That time would come soon afterwards, when the nightfall of the Republic was complete.

Outside the office, Sidious heard it, the march of their proud boots against the newly planted Alderaanian marble flooring, and his thin lips curved upwards as seemingly frail fingers, pale and wrinkled reached out to tap a secret code into the keypad built into his Senate pod. At once, a deeply hidden compartment buried beneath layers and layers of the finest, most exotically expensive materials the Galaxy had to offer groaned its way upwards, tearing itself open to reveal the instrument that his fingers had been twitching for all these years. Sheer darkness wept into the air around the dark lord upon its reveal, its release. It pulsated, throbbed with power and energy that had awaited its release. The long, slim rod hid within it the power to destroy, to take, to _kill._ It'd lain within this desk all these long years, awaiting its time, awaiting the forever impending shadow to descend.

And at last, when Sidious' fingers curled around it, the cries and thuds of his guards just beyond the door rang out and they slid open, did he press against the curved button which would release the blood-red flame that would begin the end of the Jedi. They stormed their way inside, gallant and haughty as always, with Windu in the lead, flanked by the other three, each clinging to the hilts of their own weapons for life. But it would not save them. Nothing could save them now.

"Master Windu," he fell easily into the mask of Palpatine for perhaps the final time, but none of the four who stood before him were convinced, nor had he believed they would be. Ah! But the act was not for them… Oh, if only they knew… If only they'd taken a moment to _think_! Ha! He could have laughed in glee at their incompetence. "I take it that General Grievous has been destroyed?" They were silent, positioning themselves without as much as a glance toward each other, following a carefully constructed plan no doubt. "You're here far sooner than expected. General Kenobi has made quick work of his mission. Perhaps I was wrong about sending him."

Windu's wrist circled once, stretching itself out as he made to take another step toward Palpatine and a moment later the dimly lit chamber was filled by a burst of purple light, followed by flashes of blues and greens. "In the name of the Republic, you are under arrest, Chancellor."

"Arrest?!" He forced himself to gasp. "By Jedi? On what charges? Where are the police?"

"The police have no business here. This is something only Jedi can enforce." Windu glowered, and Sidious could not muster the effort to hold back his dry smile a moment longer. They had all played into his hands like the puppets they were, and they continued to do so without any prompting. If only Plagueis could see it! How easy it'd been…

"Please, Masters, there's no need for the lightsabers! Please don't! I'm just an old man – I've done nothing wrong!" All four Jedi looked toward one another, deeply perturbed and Sidious raised one single finger toward the small, black circular device built into the desk, whose single red spot of light suggested its activity. A heavy frown came upon Windu's face as Sidious' intent became clear. _A recording device._ He had their voices, ready to be doctored if necessary to further his cause in the morning before the Senate. A moment later, the old man stood to his feet at last. "You are a fool, Master Windu. And you're going to die a fool."

His fingers pressed down onto the switch, and death was released.

* * *

"Senator!" Typho called, half jogging after the woman and child as they raced through the hallways which lead to the private entrance of the penthouse apartment built into the very height of the sleek 500 Republica tower. He'd been awaiting their return since she'd signed out her personal cruiser and strapped the boy inside, claiming personal business. Something was very wrong; this wasn't the Padme that Typho knew. Nor was it the Luke he'd grown to love as he would a son of his own. The boy was happy, playful and friendly, but when they'd left, he'd seemed sullen, deeply frightened even. It was his duty to protect them both and he feared he was failing. "Senator, wait!"

She didn't. She ignored him until she reached the doorway and quickly went about unlocking and opening the entrance before he caught up. He did, make it just as Padme gently eased the child inside and began to follow him. She paused, however, the vibrant green dress she wore spread over the step, blocking the entire doorway as she seemed to think better of entering. "Captain." When she turned to him, Typho felt a deep stab of worry in his heart. _What had become of her?_ Wet smudges of cosmetics blackened beneath the usually impeccable woman's eyes, along with undoubtable signs of tears she had just wiped away. She was paler than he'd seen her too, sickly, as if ill. "There's something you must know."

"Of course, Senator." He nodded immediately, though he ached to ask exactly what was going on, though he knew Padme Amidala enough to know that she held her secrets close to her chest… But he'd be damned if he wasn't convinced this was something to do with that Jedi. Since Skywalker appeared in her life, she'd been different, quieter, and full of secrets. Typho was no fool, he knew who exactly had fathered Luke, and the child she Senator currently carried, but he didn't like it. She deserved more than a secret half-life with a Jedi, and by the Gods, the _boy_ deserved more than a Jedi father they had to hide! But Typho knew his place. He followed his orders and hid the Senator's secrets no matter how much he wished things were different.

She seemed to hesitate a moment, glancing backwards over her shoulder where Luke had just stepped inside the apartment with a whimper and then, her face hardened the way he'd seen it do in the Senate a thousand other times. She was angry. Determined. And another tear fell onto her cheek regardless of the fact. "Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker no longer has permission to enter this apartment. Not when I'm here, not when my son is here, not even when we're not."

Typho gaped for several moments too long, and then respectfully tore his eyes away from the woman and looked to the floor. He hadn't thought he'd ever see the day… What'd happened? He was sure that whatever there was between them was more than a causal relationship – it'd been over five years now and he visited the boy often. He knew it was love. But what else it might be… He had his suspicions, but no sure answers. But did this mean it was over? Padme was rational, more so than most, and level headed even in the most heated moments… An order like this couldn't have come lightly. "Senator, what –"

"Do you understand?!" She snapped, eyes filling with more tears. "I don't _want_ him here! He _can't_ be here anymore. Not again… Not ever again."

Finally, Typho nodded. "Understood, my lady."

"Good." Padme gave a weak nod of her own, though the sheer heartache she felt shone clear upon her beautiful face. "Please start making travel preparations for tomorrow, Captain. We're going back to Naboo after the Senate gathering in the morning. Keep it off my official itinerary; no one can know we're leaving."

* * *

Anakin's speeder tore through the heavy skytraffic, whooshing, diving and spinning through the organised lines, ignoring the cries and angry shouts of curses in multiple languages that followed him through the night. Thick, fat raindrops leaked from the angry clouds gathering above, hitting against his head, his face, and the controls of the ship which became slippery and difficult to manoeuvre. His cheeks were wet, but whether from the rain or through the tears that slipped from his eyes was unknowable. He could still hear Padme's wail. It rang inside his head, just like it'd bounced against the Temple halls, following him all the way to the docking bay, never letting him forget for a moment what he'd done… What he was about to do.

She would never forgive him for this… Maybe she would even hate him for this… But Anakin could live with that, if it meant that she was alive, he could live with her hatred.

 _Idiots!_ Some part of him raged, as slow cruisers refused to give way and let him pass. Didn't they see what was happening?! He needed to reach the Senate building and _now._ He could see it ahead! It was so close! He pushed the speeder harder, long past the legal limits for all beings to avoid accidents, but the Jedi didn't care. He soared through the air, the ship's engine shrieking against the speed, but Anakin didn't stop, he couldn't stop. Even as the rain wet his eyes so that everything became a distant, colourful blur. Suddenly, as he drew close enough, he saw the clashing of purple and blue and worse, _red_ plasma. They swung and danced across the transparisteel and Anakin made a noise of panic. No! No! He was too late!

The moment it was possible, he lowered the speeder down and leapt out without letting it land or park, without even summoning up the curved glass roof to protect the expensive interior from the weather. The rain grew heavier, and the colours hazier until he could see little of anything at all. Rage born of frustration tore a foul sound from the Jedi's lips, something between a growl and a moan. He slapped at his eyes harshly, dragging away the wetness as best he could as he began to run, abandoning his speeder to the rain as he made his way inside.

Anakin stormed through the Senate building, violently pushing past any who dared not move out of his way, servants and Senators and droids alike fell victim to the frantic shove of his durasteel arm, some stumbling so quickly that they lost their footing and crashed into others, or worse, the floor. Cries of anger and surprise followed Anakin through the building and more than once a redrobe demanded that he stop, but none of that mattered, he _dared_ them to try and make him stop. By the time he made it to the Chancellor's office, something worse than the sounds of struggle, of battle rang out into the night air… The sound of _nothing_. Anakin's heart pounded harder inside the cage of his chest, and the fearful dragon roared in anguish at the thought of coming too late, of missing his chance.

He forced himself through the small wedge of the official doorway which had broken out of its lane and lay diagonally against the framing now with a grunt and felt the wet slap of his cloak colliding with the back of his calves through his trousers. The air was still. _Dead_. The Force sang with dread and the little hairs on the very back of his neck rose to attention while his flesh hand reached to unclip his lightsaber. Inside the office was a disaster. The long window panel which overlooked the urban planet's skyline had been smashed, allowing a shower of rain to intrude upon the chamber; furniture had been turned over, flipped, burned and snapped. The priceless original copy of the constitution which hung framed on the hall opposite the Chancellor's desk had been thrown somehow, and lay in a careless, ruined heap, surrounded by a thousand fragments of shattered glass and part of Anakin cringed. It felt too real suddenly. Whatever had happened here had created a visual metaphor, something Padme would both love and fear at once.

But worse than the mess, even more terrible than the priceless piece of history's destruction was what lay cast across the carpet. The decapitated head of Master Kit Fisto lay by the side of Palpatine's desk, separated from his lifeless body which had fallen on the other side of the room. He'd died bloodlessly, but violently, and Anakin almost retched at the sight. He'd seen comrades die before in the battles he'd fought, but not like this… Not so overwhelmingly cruelly. Did he suffer? Anakin wondered for a moment, and suddenly longed for a sheet to cover his body with. But he forced himself onward, further inside the once grand office, ignoring the awful crunch of broken glass beneath the metal heel of his boots with every step. The walls bore black burns and large melted dents which screamed of lightsabers clashing. The struggle had been vicious, he realised. The other bodies he came across together, slashed and stabbed, just as lifeless as Kit's had been with the foul, pungent stench of burnt flesh that forced Anakin to cover his mouth and nose with his gloved hand. Had they died quickly? Did he draw it out to make sure they'd endured as much agony as possible in their final moments? He couldn't bear to imagine the answer.

He cautiously wondered further into the office, toward where the Senate rotunda pod lay in hibernation mode each night, awaiting its chance to wake with a slow climb into the room with endless beings gathered together to rule the galaxy. There was still Windu to find, if he was alive that was, and Anakin was beginning to believe he wouldn't be. Palpatine's pretence of being elderly, of being kind and friendly was all a lie. If he was powerful and quick enough to brutally murder three of the Jedi's Masters, then he was capable of anything. It was yet another betrayal. Another lie. Another falsehood he'd believed like a _fool_ for so many years! His rage boiled deep in his stomach, feeding into the blackness that rotted inside of the Force as it filled the air with its thick dread.

As he entered the final part of the office, Anakin found the Sith at last, at the very same moment he found his fellow Jedi and his breath fled his lungs. Mace Windu was on his knees, tense and scowling as Palpatine stood behind him with blades of amethyst and blood crossed at his throat. The sight was too familiar. It was too soon since Anakin had held Dooku in the same position when he'd let the darkness within himself out, let his thirst for revenge rule his mind in one split-second moment that had tarred his soul, leaving a black stain he'd never truly scrub off. But his mind thought of that for only a moment before becoming distracted, repulsed by the change in the Chancellor's appearance. His wrinkled face had shifted, _melted_ within itself, becoming ashy pale, layered and deformed. His very skull seemed to have dented, with the flesh beneath his skin liquefying and becoming nothing more than _mush._ He was monstrous. Hideous. And part of Anakin shied away in childish fear.

"Ah, Anakin…" The Chancellor, the _Sith_ greeted with a cool smile, while Windu's eyes narrowed slightly. "We've been waiting for you."

He lingered by the doorway, hesitating above the small steps that led into the room, toward the pair as his eyes quickly surveyed the sight. Somehow Windu had fallen to Palpatine, he hadn't been quick enough, or he'd been distracted by the deaths of the others… And now his life was in the hands of the madman who'd deceived them all. Anakin's jaw tightened against the rising heat of fury in his stomach. If he didn't need the old man – was he truly even old?! – to save his family, he'd happily drive his lightsaber across his throat right now…

"What's going on here?" He demanded.

"I _was_ going to tell you that the Jedi have betrayed me, betrayed the Republic," Palpatine gave a mock sigh as if his words inconvenienced him somehow. "But I think we're beyond that now, aren't we, my boy?" Anakin's own eyes narrowed as he dared to step down the first stair. So, that was his plan? To turn his mind against the Jedi? Against everything but himself? Had his fears over the Council's plotting been real at all? Had _any_ of it been real? Was everything he knew a lie?

"I think so." He nodded, and the Sith followed suit.

"Yes, yes, you're right. We have no more reason to lie to each other now, do we Anakin?" What was he talking about? Anakin had never lied to him… He'd _loved_ him in all the ways he'd wanted to love Obi-wan and Qui-gon before him. Palpatine had been a father to him, a mentor, someone who offered kindly advice and trust. And he _did_ trust him, wholeheartedly… Despite Padme's warnings. His jaw wound tighter and his teeth grit against each other painfully. "Tell the truth." Palpatine challenged.

"What truth?" He asked, not entirely focused on the conversation, but instead upon the blades hovering inches from the Jedi Master's throat. Could he save him? Was there any way to help the man who'd been cold to him every day since his arrival here without sacrificing the Sith's partnership?

"About why you're here, Anakin. Why have you come?"

"I…" Anakin begun and his voice betrayed him. How could he admit the truth with Mace's intense gaze following his every movement without proving every disapproving thought, every hint of distrust the Jedi had felt toward him had been true? Even now, when it was all about to end, one way or another, all he wanted for Windu to see all he'd tried to be, all he _had_ been. "I was a _good_ Jedi." His voice cracked as his eyes began to burn wetly. "I helped people… That's all I wanted to do…"

Windu, at last, seemed to find his voice and broke his way into the conversation. "Anakin, this isn't the time for such things. No matter what happens, he _must_ die. The courts can't be trusted – there'll never be a fair trial! It would be a mockery!"

Behind him, Palpatine sneered, flashing a sharp row of yellowed teeth Anakin had never noticed before now. "Do you feel that, Master Jedi? Do you feel the anger he feels, the _fear_? It's not borne of fear of killing or arresting me… No… It's not, is it Anakin? It's from what he's about to tell us. Why he's here."

Anakin's eyes shone with unshed tears as his gaze flickered between the dark lord and the Jedi slowly, bile rising in his throat. For several moments that hurt worse than Dooku's blade slicing the lower half of his right arm off, the only sound in the room was the duel humming of lightsabers as they waited, ready and excited to strike, to _kill_. He inched closer again, half step by half step until he was near enough to them that he could see the brightly coloured reflection of the lightsaber cast upon their faces. "I'm here to save Padme." The words came lower than a whisper, near hidden beneath his breath. But they heard. They heard every word.

"The Senator?" Windu frowned, deep age-old wrinkles marring his forehead as he spoke.

Outside, the rain fell harder, beating against the windows with a powerful rage Anakin wished he could harness, the wind howled its grief at his final confession, the revelation of everything he'd worked for years to hide beneath half-truths and plain deception. Palpatine never looked away from his face, and Anakin felt the silent pressure of his eyes, urging him to speak on, to bear his sinful soul for the pure to see. "My wife…" He admitted without meeting Mace's eyes. The sweet proclamation of the words he'd _ached_ to speak allowed in the company of others for all these long years tasted bitter in his mouth. _Finally_ , someone knew, someone who could never have known at last knew the truth of Anakin Skywalker's life, of his love, of who he was beyond his Jedi duties or his achievements in the Clone Wars. Mace Windu knew that Anakin loved and that he was loved… And it was the very worst moment of Anakin's life.

And yet, the words continued regardless, pouring from his mouth, free at last from the heavy shackles that'd held them inside of himself since the very moment he'd uttered his wedding vows by sunset on the Varykino balcony on Naboo. "I fathered her son… _My son._ And she's carrying my – our – second child… But she'll die if I can't help her and I can't – _she_ can't!" His knees buckled suddenly, and Anakin nearly fell backwards onto the cushioned pod which waited behind him, calling to his heavy to collapse upon it. " _I can't live without her…"_

When he found the courage to meet Windu's eyes, rather than the shock he expected to find or even the anger, Anakin found something far worse, something he'd feared would follow such a confession each and every time he imagined it. _Disgust. Loathing._ And worse, Palpatine's head falling backwards to release a high-pitched, gleeful wailing laugh that tore through the chamber like nails upon a rough surface.

"There's only one way to save your wife, Anakin…" The Sith drawled, "You must prove yourself. Offer yourself to me, to the Sith and I will help you. Together you and I will discover the secrets Darth Plagueis used to avert the will of death, and your love will live."

"Anakin, he's lying!" Windu cried, horror explicit upon his face and thick in his voice. "You can't trust him!"

"Kill him," Palpatine ordered calmly, as though he'd merely requested a glass of water from a protocol droid. "Kill him now."

"What?" Anakin exclaimed, "No! I – I can't!" The shock that took light inside the Jedi's eyes mirrored the horror and surprise that flashed inside Dooku's when he heard the very same command on board Grievous' ship. When his Master turned on him and left him to die. But it wasn't the Sith's apprentice on his knees now, it was Mace Windu and it wasn't Anakin holding the lightsabers, it was Palpatine.

"You can." Palpatine uttered quietly, his voice full of death. "You will. If you want Padme to live."

Anakin's hand tightened around its lightsaber instinctively upon hearing her name spoken from the monster's lips. _How dare he use her against him?!_ "It doesn't have to be like this!" He reasoned, stepping closer to the Jedi and the Sith as one threatened to destroy the other and snuff out the light in the galaxy. "There's supposed to be _balance_! This isn't balance… It's not – it's not _right_!"

Palpatine cackled again, as Windu glanced between Anakin and the Sith as best he could with the lightsabers so close to his flesh. "Anakin, remember what I said… He can't be trusted! The _Senate_ can't be trusted. He lines their pockets. There will be no peace so long as he lives, you know that!"

"Kill him, Anakin!" The monster roared, "Kill him or she'll die! Do it now! Now! Kill him!" Both voices bellowed into his ears, drowning out his thoughts, his logic… Anakin couldn't _think_! _Kill him, don't trust him! Do it now! Think! Think! Think!_ Briefly, as both men's voices cried out over each other's, Anakin weighed Mace Windu's life against Padme's, and there was no choice at all, no question to be asked. Only one could ever win. Only one could ever _matter_.

In his mind's eye, Anakin saw Padme's smile in the meadow on Naboo, laughing as their infant son kicked his little legs up into the air, toward the sun's warmth while laid on a pretty blanket and suddenly, with a waking hiss, a bolt of pure blue plasma shot upward, out of the carefully constructed hilt he'd built himself just as the two blades vanished from Windu's throat. _If he had to die so that she could live… So be it._ "I can't live without her," Anakin said again, not to excuse what was about to happen, nor to justify it, not to Windu and not to himself.

The man on his knees looked up at Anakin with hatred in his eyes and with his final breath, he muttered, "You're no Jedi, Skywalker."

"Not anymore." Anakin breathed and with one hard thrust downward, his lightsaber sliced through Mace Windu's neck, searing his flesh and with a sickening thud, separating it from his shoulders forever.

The man's body slumped forward, collapsing in a bloodless heap, lifeless and headless and Anakin couldn't tear his eyes from the sight until he tasted bile in his mouth and his knees began to shake violently, eventually giving out as his own weight became too much to bear any longer. The once Jedi collapsed to his knees, dropping his lightsaber mere inches away from where he fell with an animalistic sound of grief and horror both at once. He'd done it… He'd really done it! He'd _butchered_ him, killed Mace Windu… Tears came into his eyes once again and fell freely upon his cheeks as he looked at the body of the life he'd taken, far from the first, far from the last, but the most horrendous without contest.

"What have I done?!" He cried, " _What have I done?!"_

"You are fulfilling your destiny, Anakin…" Palpatine's voice intruded upon his misery, full of pride and undisguised _excitement_ at what had occurred. "I'm very proud of you." Immediately, he glowered toward the monster as it tugged up a hood black as night over its horrible, _ruined_ face, ensuring that none of its foul features save for the awful, sickly yellow eyes that glowed in the darkness could be seen.

"This is you!" Anakin hissed hatefully, "This is all you fault!" His voice cracked again, more pitifully now, as barely constrained sobs threatened to tear through his body, making every inch of him tremble. "You _made_ me do it…" And then the tears got the better of him, and Anakin lowered his head, unable to stand to look up at the monster any longer.

"You can't place the blame for this on me, my boy… You made your own choices, all of which have led to this moment. There is no one to _blame_ but yourself."

Distantly, he heard the monster move around the room, his feet scraping against the plush carpet as he did, but Anakin paid him no mind. His body trembled on the floor near where Mace Windu's own grew cold and stiff, Jedi robes still as impeccable as they'd always been, giving no clue of the struggle that he'd endured. At last, he finally understood. He understood what it meant to be Anakin Skywalker. To be Anakin Skywalker meant to be deceived. To trust the shadows who haunted the night and mistake them for those fighting for the light. To be Anakin Skywalker meant to be a fool. It meant to become twisted to hate the ones he loved, and worse, to have them be twisted to hate him in return. To be Anakin Skywalker meant to come to appreciate the malevolent genius that was the monster's plan. Anakin had killed Mace Windu. He'd slaughtered his Jedi brethren in cold blood to save the woman he loved, to save his _children_. Children conceived of love, but to the Jedi, of sin. He'd broken the code, the very rules he'd pledged to live by when he became a youngling, a Padawan, a Knight… And now, Anakin was no longer a Jedi.

He would have no support from any Jedi after what he'd done.

Padme would never forgive him for what he'd done.

That was what it meant to be Anakin Skywalker.

It meant to be alone.

It meant to be bound to the monster for the rest of his life.

A hand came upon his shoulder suddenly, too warm, too tight, too soon, but it was there. A mockery of friendly support, a gesture he'd felt from the monster behind him so many times before now felt possessive and uncomfortable. He ached to shrug the touch off, to command his lightsaber to himself and cut the offending him off so that it could never touch him again. Somehow, he found the strength to look up again, into the cold, feral eyes of the being above and cold misery swept across his body. _There was no going back._ He'd fallen over the precipice with more than just a trip, or a small slip, he'd thrown himself over the edge body and soul. He was _ruined._

And yet, something deep within himself, something that lurked in the darkest corners of Anakin sung a song of victory upon its release. It thrummed with a power he'd only tasted once before, while he'd slaughtered the sand people in their homes, in their beds, while they'd held their children in their arms… And he'd _enjoyed_ every single moment of it.

"It's time," Palpatine said. "You have proven your loyalty, and now you must pledge yourself to the Sith. My new galaxy begins tomorrow, and I need your help to see it through. Together, you and I will make everything as it should be. As we've discussed before."

In slow motion, a tingling sensation begun in the ends of Anakin's fingertips and spread upwards, through his hands, into his arms and begun to take hold of every part of his body. " _No…"_ He winced, closing his eyes tightly against the new sensation, the _darkness_ that threatened to consume him. "I _can't_ …" He had to, he'd come here for exactly this reason but the devil had come to take his soul and Anakin was suddenly unwilling to release it into his care. He didn't _want_ this… He only wanted Padme and their children… He wanted them to live, all three of them… He wanted a life with them, one that _meant_ something, one where he helped people and inspired his family.

But that wasn't the entire truth, and it had never been. Anakin wanted those things, yes. But he wanted _more._ He wanted power, respect, control… He wanted it all. He'd wanted it for as long as he could remember. It was his one unquenchable thirst. His unsated lust. Anakin always wanted what the Jedi couldn't give, the secrets of the force, the _strength_ it could give him. He wanted to be looked up to, he wanted to be _worshipped_. He craved it with his every breath.

"Yes, you can. I know you can. And I know you want it… I can _feel_ it." Palpatine drawled slowly, tasting each syllable he spoke on his tongue before releasing them into the air between them, "Give into it, Anakin. Feel the full _power_ of the Dark Side! Feel your anger, trust your hate! Let them guide you from now onward…"

His right hand clenched into a fist, the electrodrivers which worked the intricate movement whirled nearly soundless beneath the hum of his still ignited lightsaber and the thick glove which covered it, but Anakin heard it, he always heard it. He looked up again, at the blackness which hid the deformed mask of the man whose very name was synonymous with corruption, with evil and betrayal and felt a sensation more frightening than anger, than hatred or sadness. _Temptation_.

He wanted it. Not what the Dark Side stood for, but what it _could_ give to him. The life he, in turn, could give to his wife, and to their children, to Luke and the baby. He could learn to save their lives and give them _everything_ they'd ever dreamed of, and give himself the same. He could be respected and admired for who he truly was, not who people believed him to be. He could be with Padme, openly, _happily_ once she came around… If she came around. No, she would! Anakin had faith.

"I want it…" He whispered so quietly that he was almost unsure whether he'd spoken aloud or just in his head.

"You want what?"

"The power… Your power." Slowly he met the monster's eyes again, sure this time; the tears dried upon his cheeks and were already forgotten. "I need to learn everything you have to teach. Teach me to save my family, teach me the ways of the Dark Side…" On his knees already, Anakin lowered his head again, ready to be knighted once more, anointed with the power of the Sith and waited. Just over the vibrating humming of his lightsaber, he could hear the dark lord's quick breath, excited and relieved that it had all come together.

"Is this your will, Anakin?" Palpatine spoke again, loud and sure, as one would if they were leading a ceremony. "Do you pledge yourself to the Sith forevermore? Do you wish to become my apprentice?" A cold shudder ran through the man's body, and the tingling grew more intense, it was unlike anything he'd ever felt before.

"Yes." He answered all questions at once. "I do."

"And it is done." Palpatine hand laid upon his head, gently, barely there, a touch for the sake of ceremony and nothing more. "Rise…" There was a pause, a beat, a spacious moment where the darkness of the force whispered to the other man and inspiration struck. "Rise, Lord _Vader._ "

This was what it meant to be Anakin Skywalker. To be on his knees, to lose his life as he knew it and pledge himself to a man he hated. It meant to have his very name taken from him, and replaced with another, new and foreign and so unlike him that he was sure that he'd never truly reconcile himself with it in the private recesses of his thoughts. It meant to give up everything for power and for love.

That was what it meant to be Anakin Skywalker.

It meant to be a slave.


	19. Chapter 19

The birth of Darth Vader was not the ending of the Galactic Clone Wars.

Nor was it the beginning of the Empire.

But both would follow the fall of Anakin Skywalker soon, each grew closer by the moment, Sidious mused as the servants did their work all around him, silently dressing his deformed figure in long cloaks designed to shield the mess that the intensity of the Dark Side had created of his body. Each pale foot littered by dark veins which throbbed across the flesh stepped into a Senatorial slipper as his clothing was layered over his body, ready to retire the public face of the Supreme Chancellor before the Senate's very eyes. In the long mirror from beneath the hood as a human male slipped it over his head, Sidious could feel, but not see, himself smile behind the blackness that masked his ruined face.

The fall of the Jedi's wrongful Chosen One was the birth of the Chosen One of the Sith, and it was the long awaited climax of the Clone Wars that had ravaged the Republic. It was the climax to his brilliance, his masterful deception of _everyone…_ Republic and Separatists. This action, this ruin of a hero would not end the gruelling war that Sidious personally had spread across even the most remote of worlds, no, that would happen soon, when he stepped onto the Senate podium and broadcasted the doom of the Separatist leaders live for all to see.

Palpatine had orchestrated _everything_ to make Anakin a hero from that first day in the midst of a Naboo celebration. Anakin was beloved by the public _not_ through his own bravery or heroic deeds, but by the skilful propaganda fed to the Holonet news endlessly praising the golden boy of the Jedi. When the people saw that Skywalker stood with him, that he had taken down the last of the Separatists, _that_ was when the Clone Wars would end, that was when he would press the button within the podium to disable every battle droid spread throughout the Galaxy and his peace would reign.

Sidious supposed that this was not the dramatic ending most might have envisioned for the end of such a publicised war. It wasn't thrilling. There was no deciding battle of the heroes and villains to decide the fate of the Republic. But then, the Clone Wars had not ever been such a battle, had they? They were never heroic, or majestic or even an epic struggle as had often been claimed. That was never what Sidious had planned them to be. No. They were only a man. Only Sidious. And of course, Darth Vader.

He had his reasons, of course, for the creation of the Clone Wars. Sidious had his reasons for everything that he ever did. Since their very inception, since the very beginning, when they were a mere idea flickering to life within his dark mind, the Clone Wars were a trap. A _beautiful_ trap, irresistible by nature and unavoidable by reality. They were the worm a fisherman wrapped upon his pointed hook before thrusting it into the oceans, the net that awaited its chance to spring in the woods. And sprung, they _had_. Now, the entire Jedi Order were locked within it, stuck without even realising.

The Clone Wars were the Jedi's fatal trap.

And they had caught their prey effortlessly.

The Jedi had been trapped since that very first day, since the battle of Geonosis when Master Yoda had brought the Clones to aid in their fight. They had been locked inside ever since, gnawing at the bars with their teeth, tugging their legs to be free of the shackles without taking a moment to think, to _see_ what was right before them, that not even Sidious could be blamed for their predicament. By leaping to the defence of the Republic, by stroking their egos and proclaiming themselves to be protectors of the peace, accepting the anointment of _General_ and fighting this war… The Jedi Order had willingly drunk the poison which Sidious had provided.

And now, they would die.

When he sent the signal which recalled them all to the Jedi Temple, his new apprentice would descend upon them all with the gift which was currently being moulded, created entirely for him, to celebrate his rebirth, his very _creation_. Darth Vader would bring death upon them all swiftly and without mercy. And the Senate was about to have a taste of what was to come right now.

Today was a beautiful day for democracy to die.

* * *

The Senate was already in motion by the time Bail arrived, and he snuck his way inside the still docked Naboo pod where his dear friend Padme sat hunched over herself and listening intently as the crowd's clapping roared through the rotunda. However, it was not that which captured the Senator's attention, but Padme. She was different. Gone were the oversized gowns which could hide three of her beneath their skirts, burying her body in layers of plush fabrics and expensive embroidery, but instead she wore a simple blue dress which sparkled with beautiful Nubian pearls sewn along the sleeves, however, they were unnoticed, forgotten, when the eyes took in the unhidden, visible swell of her stomach. She had stopped hiding it.

As he drew closer and swept his cloak away from his legs, to lower himself onto the cushioned bench beside the Naboo Senator, Bail studied her face closely. Her eyes were reddened and her hair scraped upwards into an elaborate twist held together by a crescent shaped ornament studded by small Naboo insignias. She looked nothing like herself, and yet more like the _woman_ , the real person behind the mask of Amidala than Bail had ever seen. He could not take his eyes off her when at last; her head turned to acknowledge his presence.

" _The Jedi plot against our Republic has been foiled."_ Palpatine's voice hissed into the speakers, blasting it across the length of the Rotunda so that all may hear it. Jedi plot? What…? He had heard nothing of such a plot, had such a thing existed and been discovered, the news would have spread like wildfire across a dry woodland! This was impossible. Once again, Bail looked to Padme, her affiliation with the Jedi – beyond her personal relationships – was a close one, surely she would know the truth of the matter.

But Padme didn't react. Her face, though pale, was impassive, emotionless. Unsurprised.

"What's happened?" He whispered, and after a moment, she carefully leaned closer, so that her words were not drowned out by Palpatine's shouts.

"The Chancellor has revealed a plot by the Jedi, to overthrow the Senate." At last, a spark of life came into her eyes as spoke, voiced laced thickly with sarcasm and disbelief. "But it's not true. It can't be. The Jedi aren't… They don't desire power like that." After a moment, she amended, "They aren't supposed to, at least."

Behind them both, Representative Binks made an unintelligible noise, one Bail supposed was shock, but his thoughts did not linger on the Gungan for long because if even _his_ simple mindwas surprised and unsettled by the revelation, then they should all be very, very worried. His own mind was being pulled in a thousand directions at once. Something was happening, just like Padme had said in the opera house, but now the veil of subtlety was gone, leaving only the sensation of the carpet being tugged out from beneath his feet faster than Bail could find his footing.

Gently, he reached across the small space between him and Amidala and laid a hand upon her shoulder, prompting her dark eyes to meet his suddenly. "This cannot be true. It just can't be. Palpatine is a liar. You know that as well as I do."

Suddenly, tears welled within her eyes, only barely held back from spilling onto her pale cheeks as the shock and confusion she felt became evident upon her beautiful face. "I don't know _anything_ anymore, Bail! Everything is… I thought that…" Her tongue flicked out to wet her lips as she tore her gaze away from his to shake her head. "There was a recording, of Mace Windu and some of the others attacking Palpatine in the office."

"A recording?" He gasped. "A holo?"

"No," Padme shook her head. "Audio. There was a scuffle and screaming and then…" She trailed off, lifting her slim fingers to cover her mouth for a moment as deep worry-lines wrinkled across her face. Something in Bail's stomach twisted uncomfortably. He didn't like this. Audio recordings were easily doctored. The voices could be forged, altered, edited to change the context of the spoken words. Why weren't the security holos being presented instead?

"And then?"

In response, Padme merely tipped her head toward Palpatine's hooded figure standing in the podium. " _If it were not for the bravery of Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker, who cut his ties with the traitors in order to serve his Chancellor loyally, I would not be standing here with you all in this moment._ "

"Skywalker?" Bail cried out, twisting to look at Padme again. "He's involved in all of this too?"

"Yes." She answered, in a monotone, emotionless voice that was not her own. "He is loyal to the Chancellor."

Bail frowned, deeply confused and perplexed by all that was happening around him. Everything was moving too quickly for him to keep up with; he lacked too much vital knowledge to understand fully what was happening. "But – but this isn't true. I _know_ it isn't."

"I don't think I believe it either," Padme admitted quietly, tipping her head closer to his as her hand rubbed slowly over her stomach. "There's nothing else to prove what happened. Anakin isn't here. Mace Windu and the others are… They're dead. There is only his word to go on. That's not enough for me."

" _These have been trying times for the Republic."_ Palpatine droned, one fist wrapped tightly around the bar of the pod as if to hold himself up, and Bail almost rolled his eyes. He was a clever, clever man… _"But the day, at last, has come, my friends! We have won! The war… Is over!"_ The Senate thundered with applause, whoops and cheers and had circumstances been different, Bail might have leapt to his feet and joined them. He'd been fighting toward a peaceful ending of the fighting since it had begun, and yet… Something about this celebration felt false, forced even… As if it was merely a pleasant spray to freshen the foul air surrounding them all. _"A new dawn has risen upon us all! A new beginning. But before the celebrations may truly begin, one last obstacle remains in our way! The Separatist leaders have gathered together in Mustafar in order to plot against our new peace. But I have sent the hero of the Republic, Anakin Skywalker, to free our Galaxy of their corruption once and for all._ "

And then, the holo began to play.

* * *

Fire leapt high into the air as the cloaked mass climbed out of his starship and planted his boot down onto the scorching durasteel plating which made up the small base built on the black sand of Mustafar. Hooded, despite the intense heat, Darth Vader reached down, almost gingerly, toward the lightsaber that hung on his belt. It felt reassuring to know it was there, to know that something, regardless of how small, of Skywalker's was still there. That he was once real. Not just a dream he'd imagined in his journey to the Outer-Rim. Inside his chest, the dragon roared with the knowledge of what he was about to do. His head drummed and his heart raced. These weren't innocent people. These people had plotted against the Republic, against Naboo, against _Padme_ , once upon a time. But they weren't evil either. Were they? They were puppets in Palpatine's grand schemes. Just as he was. As they all were.

Did that mean they deserved to die?

" _You don't get what you deserve."_ The dragon hissed. " _You get what you are_ _ **given**_ **.** _"_ Deep down, Anakin – Vader could not find it in himself to disagree with the creature. What had he ever been given that he deserved? What had Shmi deserved? Not her fate. And Padme? She deserved to live. Their baby deserved to live. But they wouldn't be _given_ that chance. Anakin had to steal it. He had to _earn_ it. When it was done, he could go home and take Luke into his arms and know his promises would be made true. Anakin could look his son in the eye and _know_ he'd done what he did for them, for their family. And one day… One day they would thank him for it.

Artoo rolled toward his legs and whistled nervously, and the man – _the Sith_ – leant down to pat a single gloved palm against the astromech's dome. "Stay with the ship." He commanded quietly, not wanting his old friend to see what was about to be done. "This won't take long."

The droid beeped rebelliously, arguing his point and desire to follow him inside, but one long glaring glance from his Master turned the little thing around and back toward the ship. He would stew and whimper now, but later, once they returned and recharged, all would be forgiven. Anakin was sure of it. Vader didn't _care_ about it. There were more important things to be concerned by now. He unclipped his lightsaber and held it tightly in his palm, squeezing it, twirling it around his wrist in one slow circle, preparing himself. What had he felt, all those years ago, when he'd taken the lives of the sand people?

He'd felt anger and hatred and grief for the stolen life of his mother. In that moment, it felt like _justice._

Now he felt nothing.

He could do this. The sad knowledge of the fact echoed in his mind over and over again. He could do this. He could do this. He was Darth Vader now. Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith. Show no mercy, that was what his Master has said. Do not hesitate, show no mercy. Vader was already failing the first part. These people inside the bunker were awaiting something, the long promised reward for all their efforts in the Clone Wars, the new apprentice of their associate to arrive and protect them. They were locked away, where no being would ever hear their screams for help, far from able to save themselves… Wholly unaware of the storm about to descend upon them. It hardly seemed fair.

They didn't even have blasters.

Anakin's blood pounded in his ears, like the drums of war, blasting a beat to which the Sith began to walk to. The death march began. The end of the end was here. He was about to end the Clone Wars for good – for his family. This was all for them. For Padme. For Luke. For the baby. These people were nothing compared to them.

No hesitation.

No mercy.

No hesitation.

No mercy.

Nothing could save them now, as the chant replayed itself inside the Sith's mind over and over. Darth Vader had arrived.

* * *

The screams rang and echoed throughout the Senate hall. No being present dared to speak a single word – they barely dared to _breathe_ – while the live footage played in one giant blue-hued holo before their very eyes. Padme's fingers covered her mouth, partly in order to hold back cries of horror, and partly, because she did not trust herself not to throw up at the vileness of it all. Battle droids were sliced to useless pieces and scattered as if they were nothing with mechanical howls of terror, but they received the quickest ends, without pain or suffering. Not like the others. The Separatists attempted to flee, banging their fists or claws or whatever else against the immovable blaster-proof walls that had closed down around them by the silent command of the monster wielding the blade of blue lightening.

Her own _husband._

The doors remained sealed, and the beings trapped inside the corroded bunker as one by one they were cut down by Anakin's quick arm. Bile rose in Padme's throat which she just barely managed to swallow down as two tears slipped along her cheeks. This wasn't him… This _couldn't_ be him! Anakin wasn't… She wasn't a fool. Padme knew he was a warrior, a soldier of war and that war had casualties… Padme knew her Ani's hands were stained with blood. She wasn't naive. But he was fighting for a good cause, that's what she'd always told herself. That he never wanted to do what he did. That he wanted the war to end so the bloodshed would stop just as much as she did…

But this man… This terrible creature who senselessly slaughtered people without a moment's thought… That wasn't Anakin. Not the Anakin she knew. _How could he do this_? Padme heard Bail gasp beside her when Anakin grabbed a handful of the Archduke of Geonosis' sheer, papery wings and hauled him backwards, slicing downward with his lightsaber until his head was burned off of his neck and rolled several feet away.

" _I… I killed them_." The old memory of Anakin's confession inside the Lars' family garage on Tatooine flared to life inside her mind suddenly, long repressed and forced beneath a thousand other happy ones.

After that, a small, thoughtless flick of his wrist sent the remaining battle droids flying across the bunker, slamming their bodies against the walls with such force that they shattered upon impact. The light behind their small, slitted eyes burned out moments later with quiet murmurings of " _Rodger… Rodger…"_

" _I killed them all. They're dead! Every single one of them."_

A female Geonosian fell to her knees before Anakin, trembling violently before him as he approached, his handsome faced concealed behind his hood so that only his lips and chin were visible to the cams recording it. It could be an imposter. _Anyone_ could be beneath that hood claiming to be him. That was what she wanted to believe, she wanted it so deeply that her bones ached with it. But Padme _knew_ his face. She knew his lips. It _was_ him.

" _And not just the men. But the women, and the children too…"_

"Please!" The woman begged, " _Please!_ I have children – little hatchlings! We were promised peace – the war is over now! Have mercy on me!" But there was no mercy in what came next. The blue lightning blade sizzled and as quick as a blink of her eyes, it lifted and came down, into the female's skull, cutting through her head and neck, before pulling back, letting her halved body fall lifelessly to the floor.

" _They're like animals! And I slaughtered them like animals!"_

"By the _Gods!"_ Bail cried, and Padme felt his eyes on her, but she couldn't meet his gaze. Not now. She wanted to flee, to run out of the building and never look back. To go home and sob into her pillow. She never wanted to see Anakin again. Not ever.

But that wasn't true at all.

She _did_ want to see him again. She wanted to smack him across the face and shake him out of this mess. Padme never wanted to see _this_ side of him again. Not ever. But she wanted _her_ Ani back. The sweet, loving man she'd fallen in love with by the Naboo Lake. The one who'd been so shy around her. Who believed compassion was the truest form of love. Where was he now? How had he slipped away from her without her notice? There was no compassion in the way he murdered these people. No hint of care for their pain, for their fear. That wasn't what she knew him to be.

Padme's dark eyes, wide and angry and afraid dragged downward, to where Palpatine stood on the Chancellor's podium and something within her seethed. This was _him._ He had done this. All his lies and deception had ruined Anakin and the Senate. He was destroying everything. Rage boiled inside of her, one that felt entirely foreign and new and unlike anything she'd ever felt before. _I'm going to stop you,_ she whispered in her mind. _One way or another. I will be your end, Chancellor._ There were more screams, more pleas for help, for mercy, but Padme couldn't look away from the man who'd done all of this, the one who'd ruined her life without her notice. She'd never hated anyone before in all her life. But she _did_ hate him. She hatred him purely, with all her heart.

At last, the holo faded away, leaving nothing but cold, horrified silence inside the hall. She had so many questions to ask… But her body was frozen still on the bench. The more righteous part of Padme roared inside her mind, demanding that she stand and call out Palpatine for such an injustice. Those people deserved a fair trial, not senseless butchery! If she were younger, she might have done just that. But she didn't move. Padme had two children to think of now. She had a future to keep safe for them, one way or another. But she didn't know _how_ to safe keep that future for them now. _Everything_ had shattered around her ears and there was no use in attempting to catch the fragments as they fell.

But her silence was not just about the children. It was also about _her._ _Everything_ she had ever worked for… It was gone. Palpatine had taken it. Stolen it. He'd destroyed it. Peace, freedom, justice for all… It was no more. There was more to come, she could tell. He would not have shown such horrors if there were not something grander in the works, and Padme had a terrible sinking feeling that she already knew what it was.

* * *

He was hunting.

The slightly pointed tip of his lightsaber dragged along behind the Sith Lord as he walked slowly, drawing out the terror felt by the survivors as they hid inside the briefing room. Sparks, where the lightsaber met durasteel, accompanied his footsteps as he walked, inching closer and closer to where the few remaining beings cowered. Lord Vader enjoyed their fear; the darkness he'd accepted into himself _thrived_ upon it. Their screams, their cries of terror… He fed upon them all and grew more powerful with each and every thrust of his blade.

He could feel their fear now, growing stronger and stronger with every thud of his boots against the grimy flooring. Beneath his hood, the Sith's teeth shone white in a knife-grin. The room he left behind him held nothing but ashes, and burnt flesh. It was lifeless. Empty. And he'd done it. He hadn't hesitated upon entering and bringing down the doors. His Master would be _proud_ when he told him… But not for long. Vader had plans for the old fool upon his return. As soon as he had gained the needed knowledge to save his family, well… There wouldn't be two in the rule of two for much longer.

But until that moment, there was more that needed to be done. He paused, when suddenly, the thin door separating the bunker from the conference room slammed low, locking him out from where the others cowered. He laughed, not because the desperate act was particularly funny, but because he wanted them to _know_ how feeble the attempt was. He wanted their fear to grow worse. And it did. It spiked through the Force and washed over him like a calming wave of lake water.

Vader lifted his lightsaber from the floor and plunged it into the door with one brutal strike. He could have just as easily used the Force to pull the thing off its upper hinges and gain entry faster, but he wanted to draw this out a little longer. Their fear was ripe, but it needed to be cooked just a little more before he feasted.

Painstakingly slowly, Vader cut an arch large enough to step through into the door, and then drew back his blade and gave one strong forward kick to the metal, which sent it flying forward into the chamber. All around the cut were molten burns of bubbling durasteel which was already beginning to dry and harden, framing his entry. Casually, he stepped inside, over the fallen piece of door and stood silently. The only sound in the room was the humming of the blade in his hot palm. All around him, the air was filled with the pungent stinks of burning flesh and charred metal, each battling for dominance over the other. Most beings would cover their mouths and noses to protect themselves from the stench, but not Vader. His eyes fell closed and he took a single, long breath through his nose, inhaling the fumes proudly.

This was the scent of his victory.

He took four more steps inside the chamber, and pretended he could not see the cowards crouched beneath the table, just as he used to do with Luke, during the hiding games he loved so much, when his little legs would stick out from beneath the curtains, or his head would poke out from where he stood behind the couch. It was just like that now. If they desired one last game, then Vader would play.

"Come out; come out, wherever you are…" He called, smirking and walked toward the long, narrow transparisteel window where the black mountains of ash and burnt sand lay beyond. The lava river glowed invitingly throughout them, a fiery path which curled and winded everywhere. There was something beautiful about it. Something so unlike the tranquillity of Naboo, so deathly and vicious that it called to the darkness within him. "No?" He added when only the sounds of quick, hushed pants followed his words. "Well then, I'll just have to find you myself…"

He circled the table once, growing slower as he came closer to where they hid. "Are you… _Here?"_ His gloved arm yanked out a chair as if to peer beneath it. "No… Somewhere else then." With a flick of his wrist, the other nine chairs slid out from the table and across the room, exposing the dark robes of Nute Gunray beneath the table. Once again, Vader dragged the tip of his lightsaber behind him, relishing in the girlish squeals as the sparks licked at their robes and shoes. Vader circled the table again letting the lightsaber melt a trail of the path he walked. The stench of burning metal intensified. So did their fear.

"Hmm… You're all good at hiding. Very good… Here's an idea. The last one hiding gets a prize, how about that?"

Suddenly, Vader dipped an arm beneath the table, and grinned at the frightened shouts, grabbing onto the first piece of cloth he found until, after a moment, a tense body slid from the makeshift shelter already cowering with his arms shielding his face. "I'm sorry," Vader tipped his head to the left, "You lose." The loser's prize came in the form of blue plasma fed deep into his throat while the pained tears streamed down his face and dying his scream choked to silence.

He circled again, the vulture flying high above the dead, ready to descend and feast. But this time he didn't drag his lightsaber behind him anymore. The game was fun at first, but there were two beings left and he was bored. The sooner this was done with, the sooner he got to return to Padme and Luke. So he reached under again, and this time produced a being he recognised, the secretary of the Trade Federation. Padme had introduced them once at a Republic gala. There was no time for the other man to speak, to pled or bemoan his fate. Only the flash of blue, and the resounding _thud_ of a head landing upon the floor.

One left.

"That only leaves you, Viceroy Gunray." He called and heard the Neimoidian begin to weep. "You're the winner!" Vader came to the head of the table and stood there for a moment, waiting. What followed was nothing, nothing but muffled sounds of crying. "Come out, Gunray." He commanded, voice growing hard, "Come out and claim your prize!" Once more, there was nothing. Impatient, the Sith angled high lightsaber to face to the right, and curled his fingertips beneath the thick table, pushing with aid of the Force until it tipped backwards, crashing on its back with a long whining cracking sound.

And there he was.

"Found you."

Gunray gave a surprised yell, and scrambled to his feet, tripping over the long skirt of his robe and crashing back to the ground again. Very undignified for a member of the Senate… "Please don't do this!" The Neimoidian cried. "You can't do this! You can't!"

Vader followed the pathetic being as he crept along the floor, attempting to find his feet in order to stand. "Why can't I?"

At last, Gunray seemed to remember how to stand, and dragged himself up again, using the desk of the lava-shield controls which kept the bunker safe from the spitting river far below. "It's official! I surrender!? I have no weapon… I am no threat to you!"

"Ah," Vader smiled beneath the hood, "You were once. Do you remember? On Geonosis?"

"Geonosis? What does that have to do with –"

"You were part of the plot to kill my wife, Viceroy. And now you'll pay for it… Though, truly, I think should be thanking you. It's because of your lacking efforts that we have what we have now." The man seemed surprised, and jerked his head backwards slightly, pressing himself flat against the wall. Maybe Vader would give him a quick death, to properly show his gratitude for what his plotting had given him. Or maybe he would draw it out, make it as painful as possible to make for the three thin scars that decorated Padme's back. Maybe he'd give him one small cut for every person who'd perished on Naboo during the blockade.

"But you're a Jedi! You don't have –"

Vader shrugged once and lifted his gloved hand, tightening it slowly into a fist as the Neimoidian clasped desperately as his throat. "Here's your prize."

* * *

" _The Jedi's attempt on my life has left me scarred, and deformed…"_ Padme angled her body away from Bail as subtly as she could and quickly swiped away the tears which coated her cheeks. Neither had spoken since before the live feed from Mustafar had begun. She didn't have the words to exchange with him. No defence of Anakin, but no judgment either. It was all such a _mess._ And now, Palpatine was about to destroy what little remained of the Republic, everything she'd sacrificed for, fought for, worked toward… It was all about to be gone. Her heart shattered into a thousand little pieces and suddenly she felt more tears well into her eyes.

" _But my resolve has never been stronger! The attack has made me see things clearly at last, Senators. We are one! One Galactic family and_ _ **never**_ _will we allow ourselves to be divided again!"_ The Senate howled with applause and cheers. A few pods over, Padme noticed Mon's head falling into her palms and suddenly wished that the other woman were over here too. There was so much to be discussed and so little time. She wouldn't be back here. Not again. This was their only chance. _"In order to protect ourselves from the lingering threat of the Jedi, and the others who would wish to destroy everything we have built, the Republic will be reorganised, into the first Galactic Empire! For a safe and secure society!"_

The Senate roared with applause.

Padme could not find it within herself to gasp, or to fake any show of shock for Bail or Jar-Jar's sakes. She'd had a feeling that something like this was coming… It was her very worst fear come to life. The Republic – it was gone… _Freedom_ was gone! With Palpatine in a position of full control… She didn't dare imagine what might happen to those who'd been so outspoken against him in these past days. Every single being who signed the petition of the two thousand had just gained a very dangerous target on their backs.

"Bail…" She whispered, unsure if he'd near her over the applause.

He acknowledged her with a brief nod, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight.

Padme shook her head. Why were they so happy about this? These people weren't mindless! They were highly educated; they had to be to gain their position… Surely they knew as well as she did what this meant for the Galaxy? Were they really so willing to become useless? Mere puppets here to further Palpatine's will? She didn't understand… Why weren't people fighting it? He couldn't have bribed everyone. It was impossible. Were they… Were they truly overjoyed with this? Or just frightened of what may happen if they spoke up…

"So this is how liberty dies…" Padme muttered as the realisation dawned upon her, "With thunderous applause…"

At last, the spell of shock was broken and Bail twitched in his seat, about to stand and speak, but Padme reached for his arm to keep him in place. "No! Don't!"

He frowned, clearly unhappy at her interruption. "Don't? Why? It's not too late! If we gather together, we can still file a motion to prevent –"

"No, you don't understand, we _can't_ file any motions against this. It's too late! It's been too late since the beginning, I just realised it now" Palpatine's Sith empire would rise, it was inevitable now. All they could was quietly battle it from the inside, without revealing themselves anything less than thrilled to be a part of it. "We've already shown ourselves to be his emeries by signing the petition against him. To do anything else would be signing our own death warrants." She leant closer, "There's going to be arrests, Bail. Those who don't agree with him will disappear and be replaced by those who _do._ We can't become one of them. We can't do any good locked away in a cell or executed as traitors."

"But we cannot simply allow this to happen!" He argued.

"You're right." Padme agreed quietly, glancing over her shoulder toward Jar-Jar, who still seemed entranced by the happenings upon the podium. "We won't just allow it. We'll fight him at every turn, but secretly. In public, you must be seen to be in agreement with him. Do what you can to help people, but keep the suspicion off of yourself."

"Padme, what –"

"This is the only way. Tell Mon and the others to do the same. And when nobody's looking, we can do what we spoke of… You and Mon's organisation. I'll transfer credits the moment I'm home to help and there are ships I can have the Queen send to Alderaan, those will be of some use I'm sure. But for now, that's all I can do. It's not safe enough for anything else."

Bail took in a great breath and released it after a long moment, fear and anger swimming in his eyes. "That organisation will take time. _Years_ even. It must start slowly and grow where it won't be noticed…"

"I understand." She said.

"And what about you? Are you safe, Padme? Do you believe you're under suspicion?"

"Yes." Padme nodded, daring to glance toward the Chancellor – to the… To the Emperor where he stood, revelling within the echoing applause and cheers. "Something's going to happen to me." She whispered, unwilling to spell out the details of what awaited her in childbirth and beyond. "But that doesn't matter now. Do what you and can keep your head down and make sure Mon does the same. You know she can get fiery."

"Padme, if you believe you're unsafe, Alderaan will _happily_ offer a safe haven for you. And the children." He made no mention of Anakin, and after what they'd witnessed on Mustafar, Padme couldn't find it within herself to blame him. But she didn't need a safe haven. It was too late for that.

"Thank you, Bail, truly. But you don't have to worry about me." She laid a friendly hand upon his arm and forced a smile. He truly was a wonderful man, a great friend to her. After a moment, Padme turned and quietly dismissed her handmaidens as Jar-Jar excused himself in order to go contact the Gungan leaders. There was something else, something no other ears but Bail's could hear if it was to happen. "Bail, I have one last favour to ask of you."

"Anything, Padme, anything at all." He said earnestly.

These were words Padme never dreamed she might speak. Never once in her life. She did have a document, highly encrypted and locked away in a safe built deep into the walls of her apartment which spelled out her desires should anything ever happen to her… It held proof of her marriage, Luke's registration listing Anakin as his father and other important documentation. But that wouldn't count for much in this new Galaxy. Not in her eyes. Slowly, she licked her lips to wet them, taking a breath before she spoke.

"If anything happens to me, and Anakin remains…" She trailed off, breath shaking, unwilling to say what needed to be said, "Remains by Palpatine's side, then I ask that you care for my children, Bail. You and Breha. I know they'll be safe with you."

"Padme…" His eyes widened, shocked and awed by the weight of the request. It was sudden, she was aware, and seemingly out of nowhere, but she had given this much thought. If her children needed to be shielded from what their father had become, then her family could not be their guardians. Anakin would know where to find them. Her heart broke further in her chest at having to plan this. It wasn't what she wanted at all. She _loved_ him. But she feared who Palpatine would make him become. That influence could _not_ spread to their children too. She had to think as their mother, not Anakin's wife. "I – I – I'm _honoured_ that you would consider us potential guardians…"

"Promise me?" She asked, "Promise me you'll protect them?"

"I promise." Bail answered immediately. "But Padme, _please_ , come with me to Alderaan. All three of you will be safe there."

Padme shook her head. She couldn't go to Alderaan now. "There's someone I must speak to, someone I think might be able to help me make things better… And then…" She glanced away, nervous and sickened as people continued cheering for the empire.

"And then?" Bail prompted.

"And then I'm going to Mustafar."


	20. Chapter 20

Anakin stood in the command bridge, watching the flow of the spitting river of boiling lava flow far below his feet. Behind his back, a cybernetic hand of durasteel sought out and clamped down on a wrist of flesh. Calm azure eyes gazed past the rivers of lava and beyond the stars to the Galaxy he would one day rule with his Nubian Empress by his side. " _She will die… There is nothing you can do!"_ The dragon hissed and its fire seared his heart better than the lava ever could. _"You'll rule nothing but ashes, Anakin Skywalker, and you'll rule them alone."_ He scowled toward the black glass beaches beyond. No, he was not afraid. Padme would live. As soon as his new Master shared the secrets of Darth Plagueis, death would bow to his will. He was Vader now, Darth Vader. He'd already proved that by killing the Separatists. The dragon would come to fear _him_! Just as it should have always been. He'd soon crush the slimy lizard beneath his boot and have done with it. It had long outlived its usefulness. He would be _feared_ not _fearful_ and that change would only grow in power as he learned all his Master had to teach. And then… And then, there would be a _shift_ in power between them. If Sidious truly thought that he'd be so quick to forgive a lifetime's worth of lies, he was mistaken. If he thought that Anakin would forgive his dragging Padme's name through the dirt, he was mistaken. If he believed that there would enough power in the Galaxy to share, he was _terribly_ mistaken. A smirk of something akin to prideful smugness crossed over the once Jedi's mouth. The old man had no idea. The circle would continue. The rule of two would prevail. The apprentice would become the Master, and Sidious would suffer the fate of his Master before him.

And yet… Something within him, something locked in a tight choke-hold by the fist of darkness cried out at what he'd done, at what he planned to do. It kicked at the shadowy intruder inside his soul, clawed at it, screamed without air in horror at who he would become. The sensation of guilt crept along his spine sending a cold shiver tip-toeing across Anakin's skin each time he glanced back over his shoulder at the bodies he'd left in his wake. The boy, the silly little boy he'd once been, little Ani Skywalker on Tatooine seemed to yell and cry at the man Anakin Skywalker was now. Little Ani Skywalker wanted to help people; he'd followed Qui-Gon to become a Jedi so he could free the slaves and save the day. What would that little boy think of him now? Would that boy understand why he stood here? What he'd done? Would he be so willing to sacrifice everything to save Padme?

Against his will, as the ghost of the boy he'd once been was pushed further and further within himself, slowly drowning in the deep blackness that corroded his soul and Anakin felt the wetness of a tear slip free from his eye and onto his cheek. Silently, he glanced to the side, sickened suddenly, by the sight of the lava and not brave enough to look behind him at what was left of the Separatists again.

He wasn't ready to lose the ever loosening grip he had on young Ani. Fingertip by fingertip, the boy was being pulled away; his small, work hardened fingers were replaced by older, gloved ones which dripped with blood. Anakin didn't _want_ to be Darth Vader. But the persona was addictive. It _called_ to him. Now he'd tasted the power of the Dark Side, he couldn't ever imagine what it might to be like to live without it. Already part of him ached to dawn the metaphorical mask again, to unleash that _power_ inside himself…

But at what cost? It was Vader, not Anakin, who would save Padme's life, save the baby's life, save Luke's life… They would live, but what of him? What of Anakin? Was there room for both the man and the Sith in these grand schemes? He didn't want to lose himself… He feared it. But he didn't understand yet how to control this newer part of himself. Would he ever? Or could there only ever be one, one man, one being who controlled the body, the mind, thoughts and actions of Skywalker? If that was so, who would it be? Anakin? Or Darth Vader?

Anakin wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

Because he was afraid of the answer.

* * *

"Blast it, try again." Obi-wan sighed, rubbing a hand across his tired face while the astromech parked deep into the specialised pit of the starship attempted, for the third time to make contact with the High Council. Nothing seemed to connect no matter how many times they refreshed the signal and attempted to retransmit. There was vital information to be passed along, knowledge the Council would need to deliver to the Senate as soon as possible. General Grievous was dead.

The battle had been fierce and long, and more than once Obi-wan had feared that he'd been on the verge of losing. But in the end, the battle droids and Grievous were gone and all thanks to a _blaster_ of all things. Uncivilised as it was. The death of Count Dooku's cybernetic apprentice sealed the fate of the Clone Wars, they were _over._ The Galaxy just didn't know about it yet. While the signal stretched out, an invisible hand stretching across the stars and planets of the Galaxy, dipping beyond the asteroids and beneath the moons until it could reach Coruscant just a few hours away, but again, the connection was severed.

He didn't understand.

Beside him, R4-P17 chirped quietly, saddened as much as a droid could be saddened, by the inability at completing its task and Obi-wan sighed again. He could always attempt to make contact with the Chancellor's office, but something within the Force seemed to recoil at the very idea. No, no he must inform the Council first. They would know how best to proceed before the Chancellor informed the Senate.

But with the stars stretching out before the cockpit in thick white lines that stretched and vanished in the blink of an eye as he sped through hyperspace, Obi-wan's choices were more than slightly limited. _Someone_ had to tell the Council. He'd been out of contact since his departure… They may unnecessarily send out a search party. Anakin would volunteer no doubt, eager to claim another stroke of victory at saving his life yet again… No, he couldn't allow that. Once the knowledge of the end of the war was spread, a vacuum of power would appear and worse, there would be a scramble to take it.

They needed to keep Anakin very close throughout this transition. Palpatine would dig his claws into the Chancellor's desk to keep his stolen power and would use anything he was able to in order to do so. Anakin's deep trust and friendship with the man would be the perfect tool for such a battle. His manipulation cut deep, and Obi-wan wasn't sure how to cut the ties between the two without creating a rift in his own friendship with his former Padawan. Palpatine had the edge; he held Anakin's trust while the Council did not. Palpatine could offer the younger man the life he desired, the open one with his Senator wife, and the children, the Order could not.

But Obi-wan _knew_ Anakin. He'd raised the boy into a man, trained him, taught him, and helped him to live his desired life behind the backs of the Council. He'd played with young Luke; he'd loved that little boy as he knew that he shouldn't… All those years, all those memories, in the end, they had to mean something, didn't they? Anakin might listen to him after a gentle reminder that despite how it may have seemed lately, Obi-wan _was_ on his side.

With that in mind, he instructed R4 to make contact with Anakin.

The signal reached out again, and unlike with the Jedi Temple, it seemed to connect, and buffer, and then it began to ring out, beeping and beeping while it awaited Anakin answering. But he did not answer. The signal cut off suddenly, without simply ringing out, as if it'd been seen and shut down. _As if his signal had been rejected…_

But that couldn't be it. Something had to be wrong with this ship's signal.

In such a dangerous time, Anakin knew better to reject contact with him, especially when they awaited the news of his battle with Grievous. Perhaps if he sent a message back to Cody, he could pass along the information… His thoughts were interrupted once more when R4 chirped beside him again, and the Jedi's eyes were drawn to the small square screen as it began to translate the droid's communication and decipher its meaning in the way Anakin could do in his head.

" _We're receiving a pre-recorded transmission from Coruscant._ " It read, and the Jedi's eyebrows rose. A transmission? Were the Council aware of the issues preventing him from making contact? If they were, it would certainly make things easier…

"Play it." He instructed the droid, and after a moment, from the built in communications device a figure of blue hologram projected forth, but it was not any member of the Jedi Council, or even Anakin reaching out to him via R2D2, but rather Senator Amidala herself, hunched over on the long, wide couch of the vast private veranda of her Coruscant apartment and dabbling with the buttons of whatever astromech she'd gotten her hands on in order to make contact.

After a moment, satisfied that her words were recording, she glanced upwards, to the holocom inside the droid. " _Obi-wan."_ She began quietly, " _I don't know how much you know of what's happened since your departure, but there is much to discuss. Palpatine has seized power in the way we have all feared since the beginning of this war."_ Padme turned away for a moment, as a childish voice called out for his mother, displaying the intricate crescent shaped hairpiece she wore. " _Luke, sweetheart, I'll be there in a minute._ " Her eyes returned to the cam. " _But that's not why I'm sending this… It's… It's Anakin… Obi-wan, I fear he's in danger – grave danger from himself and Palpatine's lies. You're the only one I can turn to for help now. Please come back here as soon as you can._ " She seemed to hesitate a moment, faltering, as if on the verge of tears. At last, she whispered, " _Please, Obi-wan… You're my only hope."_

* * *

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"The day before last," Padme answered, wary of the staff flitting in and out of the living room removing furniture and boxes and loading them into the various ships and warehouse storage units necessary to be taken home. Obi-wan's eyes followed her gaze and his eyebrow rose curiously.

"You're leaving?" He asked and she nodded, easing herself down onto the last remaining couch. Leaving this apartment broke her heart in every way imaginable. It was her home; it was Luke's home… It was where she and Anakin shared their love. Luke took his first steps just across the veranda. This was their home, the _Skywalker_ family home. It was where they loved each other, grew together, dreamed of being together. But they would have another home, the home they _should_ have always had soon. They were going back to Naboo, to Varykino, where they belonged, safe from the Chancel- the _Emperor's_ sadistic games and evil corruption. Their family was there too, the children would get to be with their cousins and grandparents again after so long… Padme's parents would be thrilled to know they were back. But despite all of that, she was miserable. She didn't _want_ to leave this apartment or Coruscant. She wanted _everything_ to be different.

There was only one way to make things different… And it was going to Mustafar to see her husband.

Padme was full to the brim of nervous energy about seeing him. She wasn't sure if she'd kiss him or hit him when she did. Anakin wasn't a bad person, he wasn't evil – he could _never_ be evil like Palpatine. Everything he'd done… As terrible and vile as it was, he'd done it for her, for their children. Padme could understand that – she would do _anything_ for him and the children. In his own twisted way, it'd been him trying to keep her safe from his dreams. He was a _good_ person. He was only lost. Padme was going to bring him back and make him see sense before it was too late… She knew she was. And then everything would be alright.

"Yes," Padme answered the Jedi's question, at last, looking out at the never-ending skyline of buildings and ships. It was nothing compared to Naboo's waterfalls and mountains, but she would miss the sight dearly. "We're going back to Naboo."

Obi-wan was quiet, but from the corner of her eye, she saw him give the smallest of nods. Eventually, after the silence between them grew awkward, the Jedi cleared his throat, drawing Padme's eyes back to his own. "You were telling me about Anakin.

This time, it was Padme's turn to nod. As her eyes lingered on her old friend, a shiver of revulsion crept through her body as the doctored holo flared up in her memory. How could Anakin ever believe that, even for a _moment_? That she could ever want another – much less Obi-wan? That wasn't to say the man wasn't attractive or kind, but he wasn't Anakin. He did not have his fire or passion. Nor his compassion and fierce desire to protect what he loved. How could Anakin ever believe that she might want another, his mentor, his teacher? The very _thought_ of doing such a thing made the Senator feel ill. Maybe when they talked to him he would see the truth at last? He would see how terribly they'd all been deceived. He knew who Palpatine was now, surely it was clear what was real and what was not! It had to be.

"Yes," She said after a few moments. "He's been… He's been deceived, we all have. Palpatine is not the corrupted old man we always believed, Obi-wan. He's the one you were looking for – the Sith. He revealed himself to Anakin and offered him a place by his side." Padme watched the Jedi's face morph from disbelief to shock and then to dismay as she revealed all the details of what happened. The apparent attack in the Chancellor's office, the death of the Jedi Masters, Anakin bending the knee to Palpatine to save her. The murder of the Separatists. She told him everything, even the dreams he'd had. Somewhere in the story, his hand had crept upwards to cover his mouth as the horror of it sunk into his mind.

When at last, the story was over, there was silence once again and it stretched on far longer than the last. Padme felt every tick of the chrono on the wall and attempted not to flinch each time it moved. They had to act quickly to get to Anakin before anything else could happen. There wasn't the time to sit in silence, stewing over what had been said. Eventually, her patience grew thin and the Senator huffed a frustrated breath. "Obi-wan? What are we going to do?"

Her old friend was quiet as if seething for a moment before he was brave enough to meet her eye. "He… Anakin turned to the… To the _Dark side_?"

Padme tried not to grow angry at him, it was a lot to understand – Force knew how she'd struggled with it. " _Yes._ "

Obi-wan emitted a distressed breath that seemed to shudder in the air around him for a moment. "He killed – he killed the Separatist leaders? You're sure?"

"Yes. I saw it with my own eyes – the entire Senate did. But I already told you –"

"Then we must turn him over to the Council, Padme. This is beyond either of us." Regret sunk into his tone, lacing itself around his words, but Padme couldn't bring herself to think about it. She must have misheard him… Obi-wan would _never_ turn Anakin over to the Council. He'd helped them hide their marriage for years, he'd protected them. He wouldn't turn his back on them now. He wouldn't.

But he _was_.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing." She sat straighter in her chair, wishing she could stand, but her back hurt terribly this morning and she didn't dare put the extra weight on it. "You're turning your back on him!"

"No, that's not what I'm doing!" Obi-wan cried, pointing accusingly in Padme's direction. "But I have a _duty_ to the Jedi Order – as he did! We must _destroy_ all Sith not _join_ them… I – I – the Council must know what he's done. He'll be expelled and…" He trailed off, and her fingers curled into tight fists by either side of her travelling trousers, frustration and betrayal mounting.

"And?!"

Obi-wan took a breath and then rose to turn his back to her, unable to meet her eye suddenly. "He'll likely be arrested. Murder is… You know the sentence that carries. I'll do my best for him, perhaps we can argue that he was confused – deceived my Palpatine. They might be lenient on him. He may only serve ten years if –"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Padme threw up her hands to stop the words leaving his mouth, "I don't understand. Expulsion from the Order perhaps, but arrested? _Why_?"

Obi-wan looked at her as though she was a silly child, and for a moment, Padme felt like one. "He committed a _war crime,_ Padme! And he joined the Sith. He must be arrested… This has gone too far even for Anakin. Maybe… Maybe we can fight for him, once Palpatine has been removed from office. But don't –"

"Stop it!" Padme cried, wrapping her arms protectively around the swell of her stomach as if to protect the baby from hearing his words. "Anakin is your friend! How can you talk about having him arrested like this? He needs our help, Obi-wan! He's lost, but we can still bring him back! I know we can."

"What do you want me to _do_ , Padme? He has let me down. He has let us both down." A flicker crossed the Jedi's face, a glimmer of heartbreak and bitter disappointment, the likes of which that could only ever be understood by a parent. She prayed she would never understand that feeling. For a few seconds, Obi-wan looked older than his years, far older, as if he'd aged before her very eyes. "I did not turn him over to the Council when I learned about your marriage because I thought it made him a better Jedi. I thought it made him happy. But it hasn't – the dreams… Anakin has always struggled to put his past behind him. You both should have come to me as soon as it happened."

Padme shook her head not looking at him. She could still hear Dorme ordering the moving staff around just down the hall and felt her eyes burn as they filled with tears. "That's not fair." She whispered. "He didn't tell me at first either." When Obi-wan didn't answer, her eyes drifted to the floor. "I'm going to Mustafar. Today. And I'm going to bring him back. Help me, Obi-wan… _Please_."

Silence. _Again._

Just beyond the doorway, Padme heard the whizzing of Threepio's cybernetic limbs as he strutted through the moving chaos to ensure everything was packaged away correctly. " _Oh, my! Oh no! That is a priceless Naboo emblem statue gifted to the Senator by the Queen and you are carrying upside down with one hand! Do be careful!"_ Any other time, any other moment and Padme might have smiled, she may have laughed at the quirks of her beloved droid, Anakin's devotion gift to her after their wedding, but her face was frozen as Obi-wan wandered toward the edge of the veranda.

"Captain Typho told me you have barred Anakin from coming here." He spoke at last, barely above a whisper. "You know he isn't safe."

Padme felt a flash of hurt at his words, and her eyes lifted toward the ceiling. How could Typho tell Obi-wan about that? It was personal business, something strictly between her and her Captain of security. Obi-wan had _nothing_ to do with this. Yet he _did_ know. And she felt so terribly ashamed. "That's different. I was… I was upset."

"You are asking me not to give up on him, Padme, when it seems you already have."

"I have not!" She cried. "If I had, I wouldn't be travelling all the way to the Outer-rim when I could be with my son! I wouldn't ever speak to him again. But there's good in him, I _know_ there is. I just need you to help me appeal to it. We can argue all day and all night, but it won't do anyone any good. Please help me." The Senator begged, pleading shamelessly for his support. Obi-wan could reach parts of Anakin that Padme couldn't. They were Jedi. Brothers. He knew the warrior in Anakin that she didn't. Padme could appeal to her Ani, to the man, the husband and the father… But they needed _all_ of him to listen, every part of him.

Obi-wan was quiet again, and she hoped upon all hope that he would agree so they could leave immediately to Mustafar. It was a long journey and would take several hours even with the specialised advanced speed engine Anakin had fitted her star-skiff with, the sooner they could go, the sooner they'd make it there to reason with him. But her hopes were cruelly dashed and crushed beneath the Jedi's boot when he turned to her, tearful and broken and merely shook his head.

"I must speak to the Council. Master Yoda is on Kashyyyk – I'll meet with him there and then come to you on Mustafar. If Anakin turns himself over… It'll be better for him. I'll do my best for him, I promise you that."

Padme couldn't meet his eye, anger and betrayal coursed through her veins in a fiery rush of heat. She'd called Obi-wan here to help them not to make things worse! Her plans, her ideas of making everything better shattered all around them every bit as loudly as the Senate had just the previous night. They'd have to run… Hide from the Council. Maybe if Anakin came around they could take Bail up on his offer of a safe haven… She could make him understand what had happened, she could! Her mind whirled a thousand parsecs a second to catch up, to re-mould the plan.

"Get out." She whispered, still avoiding Obi-wan's eye.

"Padme…" He began, but the Senator had had enough. She'd wasted enough time this morning already. This was something she had to do on her own now.

" _Get out!"_ Her voice rose louder, full of anger and within a moment all the bustle and noise of the staff died outside, but Padme didn't care. "Get out of here now! I don't ever want to see you here again!"

Obi-wan lingered for a moment and took a small, half-step toward where Padme sat; battling the tears that sprung to her eyes, but seemed to think better of it and retreated. "I'm so sorry." He said quietly, and turned on his heel toward his hovering speeder, tugging up the wide Jedi hood of his cloak as he did. She didn't wait to see him leave, but forced her pained body off the couch and sprung to action. The leather harness worn over her beige travel shirt held the heavy weight of her stomach, sparing her poor spine from the worst of it, but it was still agony. She just barely held back a hiss as Dorme sped into the room, clutching the data pad full of the moving information to her chest, her dark eyes wide and concerned.

"My Lady? Is everything alright?" She asked, slightly breathless and Threepio trotted into the room behind her.

"It's fine." Padme barked, forcing her way past them. "Continue the preparations to leave and send everything on its way. Dorme, I want you and Luke to stay here and wait for me. Please have Typho prepare my ship."

Before either her handmaiden or droid could utter a word, the Senator rounded the corner and left the two to continue the arrangements. This was an important trip. It was the most important thing she'd ever do for her family – her final chance to bring them back together before she left them. _Everything_ depended upon her making Anakin see sense and the burden felt heavy on her sore shoulders. But before she could leave, there was one thing she had to do. Say goodbye to her beloved, sweet boy.

Part of Padme wanted to bring him along with her in the hopes that seeing their son could make Anakin come around. But she'd tried that before in the Jedi temple and all it had done was upset the boy terribly. He'd wept in her arms for hours afterwards calling for his father who never came until at last, late into the night he'd exhausted himself and fallen asleep. She couldn't put him through that all over again, it was selfish… Luke didn't deserve that. No, he would wait here with Dorme, until Padme returned with Anakin.

Or alone.

The Senator lingered outside the bedroom of her son for a moment, her long fingers hovering over the keypad which controlled the opening mechanism. What was she going to say? She wanted desperately to tell him the truth, that she was bringing Anakin back, but if it didn't work… Her poor boy would be even more heartbroken than he already was. His little heart had to be protected at _all_ costs. But Padme had faith in Anakin; she _knew_ he would come with her. Letting Luke know his father was coming would… It would make everything better. She knew it was selfish, and dangerous and unwise, but Padme couldn't help herself. She _had_ to tell him.

The door slid open to the left, revealing the now sparse bedroom of Luke, mostly stripped of its possessions. Toy chests once lined the wall to the right, mirroring his bed on the left. Now, there were only faint marks left upon the wall where the boxes had been, hinting at the boy who lived here. His bed was unmade – the _one_ chore Padme asked of him was to make it in the mornings – and model starships laid upon it, strewn around carelessly. Padme stole a moment to admire the room, allowing the bittersweet nostalgia to wash over her. She could remember bringing Luke here for the very first time when he was just a baby… Obi-wan had helped Anakin arrange some leave time with the Council to spend with her and the baby. He'd spent _hours_ perfecting the nursery, building the crib and painting everything. It'd been his pride and joy. He'd been heartbroken a few years ago when Luke asked for it to be redecorated, but that lasted only as long as it took for the two of them to begin making elaborate plans for his new room.

By the window, Luke laid in the gleam of Coruscant's man-made sunlight on one of Padme's datapads and didn't notice her entering the room. His blonde hair appeared almost white in the intense lighting, only highlighting just how _young_ he was. Far too young to be saddled by all of this. She smiled sadly and leaned against the cool metallic door framing as she watched him, almost pained by how much she loved him. Her first boy… Her first baby. His light blue eyes bounced from left to right as he followed whatever activity happened on the datapad and after a second or two, a bright smile lit up his face. He looked so much like Anakin when he smiled like that… Padme took a moment longer to gather her words before clearing her throat and alerting the boy to her presence. At once, he shot to his feet, dropping the datapad in his haste and scrambled to pick it up again muttering apologies and promises that it was alright. She saw so much of Anakin in him sometimes, or at least, she saw the boy Anakin had been once. Bright, eager, clumsy at times, stammering when overwhelmed… "What are you doing?" She asked, forcing a smile for the boy's sake.

His small finger pressed down onto the black circular button at the top of the device to shut down the device and placed it gingerly on the bed. "Playing the starship game." His answer came and Padme nodded, he loved the datapad games much like every other child his age did. The only problem was his habit of making 'accidental' purchases which often amounted to several hundred credits at a time. Anakin placed stronger security on them, but that never seemed to stop it from happening. _His father's son indeed._

"That's nice, Sweetheart." Carefully, she made her way toward the bed, clearing toys out of the way and slowly lowered her aching body down onto the soft mattress, patting the space beside her so Luke would join her. He did, bouncing onto the sheets with all the grace of an energetic five-year-old – none. The movement sent a ripple of pain through Padme's abdomen, making her wince softly, but Luke didn't seem to notice. "I want to talk to you about something." She said, lifting a hand to stroke her fingers through his soft blonde locks.

"Is it about dad?" Luke asked quietly, looking out the window and her heart clenched tightly in her chest.

"It is." She nodded and lowered her hand. "But it's about me and you too." There was _so much_ Padme wanted to tell him… So much she wanted to teach him as he grew up and became a man. But there was no time for that. What little time Padme had left she had to spend pulling her family back together, which meant sacrificing moments with her child. It was heartbreaking. Obi-wan's rejection meant she had even _less_ time than before, she had to race to Mustafar, speak to Anakin and leave before the other Jedi could arrive and insist he turn himself over to the Council. It was all a race against time and time was fast running out. Still, she _needed_ to make just a little for Luke. He needed his mother and to hear what she had to say.

"What about us?" He asked, big blue eyes peering upwards into hers, full of childish curiosity and an innocence which could only belong to a child as young as he was. Padme swallowed down the lump in her throat. She had to make it through this without crying. It would only upset him too.

"Well, you already know that we're going home to Naboo. We're going to surprise your grandparents, they'll be so happy to see you." She began easily, easing herself more than him into the conversation. "And Auntie Sola and Uncle Darred."

"Ryoo and Pooja too!" Luke grinned inspiring a smile of her own.

"Yes, Ryoo and Pooja too." She nodded tearily, imagining her beautiful nieces' little faces when they heard they were home again. It would be all screaming and excitement until they all collapsed in their beds while she, Sola and their mother laughed together at the silliness of the children. Padme ached for it. "But first, I need to go somewhere, where your father is and I'm going to bring him back with me so we can all go home together." Her lifelong mission for peace was in tatters, utterly ruined by Palpatine and his scheming, but at least Padme could give Luke Anakin again. If she could do that… Maybe, just maybe… She could die in peace. "And then it won't be long before your sister is here."

Luke nodded quietly but didn't look at her. "Yeah."

"Are you excited to meet her?" She prompted; reaching for Luke's little hand with her own and carefully drew it to the heavy swell of her stomach, to the spot where the little one kicked the most often.

But in response, Luke gave only a nonchalant shrug and removed his hand. "I guess."

They should have waited longer before having another baby. Neither Anakin nor Padme got to spend enough time with Luke and now she wasn't going to be here and Anakin would be all on his own with the baby, which meant even _less_ time for him. It wasn't fair. If things had been different, if they'd had the chance to be open with each other, a _real_ family, it could have been alright. But it wasn't, was it? _None_ of this was alright. But she had to press on.

"Just because there's a baby, doesn't mean daddy or I will love you any less, you know, Luke," Padme said softly, keeping his little hand in hers. "We love you so much. You know that don't you?" Slowly, his small head lifted and his eyes met hers, his gaze searing, and nodded.

"I know. I love you too, mommy."

After that, the mother in her couldn't hold herself back even a moment longer. Padme twisted her body toward her son, took his plump cheeks in her palms and leant down to pepper loving kisses all over his face, his nose, eyes, forehead, everywhere. Luke laughed and squealed, attempting to pull himself free of his overzealous mother, but she couldn't let him go. She ended the kissing assault after a few moments and simply held him close, resting her chin upon his head. After a moment, she felt his little arms come around her too and held back a sob. _This is your last chance._ Something whispered inside of her, and Padme's heart wept.

"I love you, Luke." She whispered to him again and held him tighter. Luke gave no battle to separate himself from his mother this time, but shifted even closer instead, fisting a small hand into Padme's long braid and they stayed like that for what felt like a small forever, neither willing to move first and pull away from the other. _Please don't forget about me_ , her thoughts whispered and though he couldn't hear her, she hoped he understood.

A painful twinge shot through Padme's womb, making her body seize suddenly and a small droplet of dread dripped into her chest. She _knew_ that pain… She'd felt it five years ago, just before going into labour with Luke. It was followed by another, slightly more intense sting, the first hints of contractions and she finally pulled herself back from the embrace. Tears welled in her eyes as Padme looked at her son, a sense of finality coming over her. This was it. This was the day she… The baby was coming soon.

"It's your job as a big brother to look after your baby sister when she comes, you know that, right?" She asked, her desperate gaze boring into his. Maybe it was silly, but she needed to hear him say it before she left. If there wasn't going to be another chance, Padme needed him to know this.

As if he heard her thoughts, tears gathered at the corners of his big eyes and she reached up to wipe them away with her thumbs. "Mommy, please don't go. I'm scared."

Unable to speak through the overwhelming lump in her throat, all Padme could do was gather her child in her arms again and hold him close as he clung to her for life. "Don't be afraid, my love." She whispered at last. "It's all going to be okay, I promise. Just remember how much I love you."

Before another word could be spoken between mother or son, a small, almost timid knock against the doorway framing broke Padme's attention away from her boy and toward the intruding sound. By the entrance, Dorme stood, still holding the datapad in hand and threw her an apologetic glance before speaking. "I'm sorry, my Lady, I didn't mean to disturb you… Captain Typho requested that I tell you your ship is fully fuelled and ready to leave."

Her words sent a spike of panic through Padme. Her ship was ready to go… But she wasn't. She was never coming back here. She was never coming back to Luke. She wasn't ready! There was more she needed to say! She needed to hold him just a little longer and kiss him again. Somehow, Padme nodded toward her handmaiden, stiffly, unable to conjure words of thanks even as the woman turned away and carefully ensured the door slid shut behind her.

Without hesitating, Padme pulled Luke back into her arms and buried her nose in his hair, inhaling his sweet, childish scent and closed her eyes tight, making this final moment last as long as it could. When they parted, both mother and son were teary, though Padme hoped Luke had no inkling as to what was truly happening. "Listen to me," She cupped his cheeks in her hands again, stroking his soft, soft skin with the pads of her thumbs, "You are _so good_ , Luke. Never let anyone tell you otherwise or change who you are. You are Luke Skywalker. You are my son… And I will _always_ be with you." Padme pressed her lips to his forehead and lingered for several moments as he trembled. "Here, I want to give you something." She reached up and carefully slipped the fine silver chain around her neck over her head and held it in her palm.

Luke's little eyes grew wide as his fingers excitedly reached up to gently trace over the patterns carved into beloved japor snippet she never took off. "But – but that's yours! Dad made it for you, he told me!"

"I want you to have it, my love." Padme smiled. Her neck felt naked without the trinket, but passing along something so special to her boy felt right. She was sure one day her mother would help Anakin find something of hers equally special for the baby when she was old enough. At that, her lip trembled again. "I want you to keep it safe for me… And when we see each other again, you can give it back to me."

Luke's full attention was on the snippet necklace and Padme slipped over his head. The chain hung low on his small body, but he would grow into it after she was gone. "I will." He promised solemnly, "I'll be really careful."

Padme nodded and stroked her fingers through his hair again and then his cheek before letting her hand fall away. "I love you, Luke." She said again, "Never forget that." Luke had no time to repeat the sentiment, Padme wasn't sure she would be able to walk away if she heard it, she rose from the bed as quickly as she could and offered her beloved child one last smile over her shoulder, a silent oath that everything would be alright, and then she turned and walked out, holding back a thousand wails of grief as she left him behind… Forever.


	21. Chapter 21

**_A/N: I'm so sorry for the long wait for this update! I've been crazy busy with college and working retail at Christmas. Safe to say, I'm EXHAUSTED. But it's here, the beginning of the Mustafar confrontation..._**

The chrome star skiff came to a slow descent on Mustafar at the hand of the gold-plated protocol droid. Beside him, Padme clutched at her stomach and cried out as the pain grew worse. Perspiration dampened her hair and skin that had nothing to do with the heat of the lava planet which awaited her outside the ship. The ship docked safely and after a few moments, the contraction eased away, leaving the Senator drained and boneless. She couldn't move. She didn't _want_ to move. Tears welled in her eyes as they focused on a small building just across the landing deck. That was where it happened, she was sure. He'd _murdered_ people inside that building.

A shuddering breath fell from the Senator's lips as her hand rubbed across her stomach. She didn't have much time. Sooner than later, Obi-wan would be here and he wanted to arrest Anakin. Or worse. She couldn't think about that right now. Her thoughts and energy had to focus on her husband. She had to bring him back, make him see what Palpatine was making him do. They would be safe when they were together, she knew it. Everything would be alright if she could just make Anakin _see._ And then… And then… She felt a small twinge in her back and shook her head.

"Mistress Padme, please let me take you to the nearest medcenter. _Please._ " Threepio pleaded in the co-pilot's seat, his bright bulbed eyes somehow reflecting concern, but she didn't answer him. They'd go to a medcenter later when this was finished. She'd already looked into it. The nearest facility was on Polis Masa. It was the furthest thing imaginable from Naboo, but there was no other choice. In her final moments, Padme wanted to be home. She wanted to see the lake again, the mountains, the balcony where she and Anakin were married… Instead… Well, you couldn't always have what you wanted.

She took another breath and flicked her eyes upwards again toward the small building just in time to see a cloaked figure emerge from its doorway. It was him! It had to be him. The figure seemed to hesitate a moment before it moved, running toward the ship, toward Padme, and she leaned forward to unlock the landing ramp. This was it. She hadn't seen him since he'd left her and Luke in the Temple and there were more things she needed to say than stars in the sky. Where would she even begin? Her mind was filled suddenly by the screams of those who had died in the building just ahead, of the hiss of a lightsaber once used for good, and the thundering applause of the Senate and Padme's fists curled. She wasn't sad anymore. Far, far from it. She was angry. _Furious_. Anakin drew closer, crossing the bridge and she stood fists tight by either side of her body.

The Republic was dead and Anakin helped Palpatine kill it. He'd helped destroy _everything_ she had ever worked for in all her lifetime. He'd taken _everything_ from her. Peace was gone. Freedom was gone. Justice wouldn't be far behind them. Anakin had done that. He'd slain people without thought, without _mercy_! He'd become the monster in a child's nightmares. He'd killed on Palpatine's order. And in doing all this, he'd betrayed her. Padme didn't know how to stomach it.

She stepped down the landing ramp as quickly as she could without setting off another contraction and Anakin met her at the end, still cloaked despite the heat and smiling widely, easily, as if he hadn't taken a dozen lives just hours earlier. She couldn't take it. He shouldn't be acting like this! _No one_ should ever act this way. Especially not him, not her Ani. As she approached, Anakin threw open his arms to greet her, and despite it all, fool that she was, part of her longed to go to him. She was desperate to feel his arms around her, to bury her head in his chest and feel his chin on her head. Everything would feel better then, like they'd never left the lake country so long ago.

But they _had_ left.

Padme couldn't step into his arms and she didn't. When she drew close enough, without thinking, her arm rose and her palm smacked the Jedi's cheek. _Hard._ Anakin stumbled backwards a step or two, clasping his sore cheek with his ungloved hand, shocked. Padme stared at her trembling hand, gaping. She'd _never_ lifted a hand to someone before – _certainly_ not Anakin. Her eyes rose to meet his and suddenly her anger was washed away by an all-powerful, overwhelming despair. "What have you done?" She wailed, " _What have you done?!"_

Anakin blinked and lowered his palm from his cheek. "Done? What are you talking about?"

Padme shook her head. "I saw everything, Anakin! _Everyone_ saw! You… You…" She felt her face scrunch up in equal disgust and horror as the memories of the Separatists' deaths roared to life in her mind once again. "You killed the Separatists! Your new _Master_ broadcast everything to the Senate – everyone knows what you've done."

Though he was looking at her, Anakin wasn't with her. His mind was far off, working furiously. His face was pale, even in the darkness, a sure sign of his shock at her words. So he didn't know Palpatine's plans, did he? What sort of a partnership was this? Couldn't Anakin see this? He was being _used_. He was doing Palpatine's dirty work and becoming the scapegoat for it! Why wouldn't he open his eyes?

Anakin took a deep breath and shook his head. "The sooner the old man is gone the better!" He growled. His fingers twitched beside his lightsaber. "He's a fool. He thinks he can control me and let _me_ take the blame…" A cold, shill laugh fell from his full lips, one Padme didn't recognise.

"Wait, what? What are you talking about? You want to _kill_ Palpatine? I don't understand." This was supposed to be a partnership, master and apprentice, but Anakin was already plotting against him? Where was his loyalty? The man she loved was loyal to a fault; he _stood up_ for his friends, not betray them at a flick of a wrist. She didn't understand. _This_ made him turn against Palpatine, but not the fake holo of her and Obi-wan? What was he _thinking_?

"Once I know how to save you and the baby, I'm going overthrow Palpatine. Everything will be settled then. People will _hate_ him and I'll be the hero who saved the Galaxy from his control. And then you and I can rule it together, we can make things the way we want them to be, Padme!"

She looked upwards at his face, wide-eyed and horrified at the words that'd just tumbled from his mouth. _How could he say that to her_? Was this something he thought she wanted? How? Didn't he know her at all? What he was planning was terrible – it was wrong! They had no right to that kind of power over the Galaxy, no single being did. That was the strength of the Republic, why it _needed_ to survive. Padme looked into his eyes, she _truly_ looked and what she found… It frightened her more than anything. A powerful fury that had become giddy with its newfound freedom took light in his features. His eyes blazed in the darkness of Mustafar's sunless sky and despite the oppressive heat, the Senator found herself shuddering with a chill. No… _No._ She knew him, to his _soul_ , Padme knew Anakin Skywalker. Beyond the rage, the anger he'd surrounded himself with, she could see it, the horror in his eyes at what he'd done. The _resignation_ to this fate. He needed her, now more than he ever had and Padme had to help him. She could bring him back… He was a good person – one of the very best in this Galaxy. He only had to be reminded of that.

"Anakin…" She began breathlessly, overwhelmed and deathly afraid. "Ani, please don't do this. You don't _have_ to do this. This isn't what I want… _All_ I want is your love and our family." That was all Padme had ever wanted from him. It was all she'd ever asked of him going into their marriage – his love. They had nothing else to give one another then. The Galaxy may have changed around them, but that simple request hadn't. Not for Padme. All she wanted was them and their family. Their shared love would get them through this, she knew it would.

But Anakin didn't agree. His head shook twice, amused at her expense, as if she was simple-minded and just didn't _understand_. "Love won't save you, Padme. Love didn't save my mother…" His throat bobbed as he swallowed down the bitter memories. "But _I_ can. Palpatine's powers can. I only need to learn from him and then – "

"You can save me?" She asked, lip trembling. "But at what cost? You're a good person; don't let him make you do this!" Her hands reached for him then, despite the anger and the betrayal, Padme reached out for her husband, small fingers clenching his long Jedi robe tightly when they found him. "Please… Ani, let's leave. Bail offered us a safe place on Alderaan; you can take the children there and hide from Palpatine's influence. You can help stop this before it really begins!" Perhaps Bail hadn't extended his offer toward Anakin personally, but he wouldn't turn him away, she was sure of it. "They've been working on the creation of an organisation to fight him – they can stop him and this Empire with your help!" She was so caught up in her own words; in the idea she was suggesting that she missed the fire take light in his eyes. The fury.

"They're planning to rebel against the Empire?" He hissed lowly. "And you helped them?" Anakin's hands sought out and clamped down on Padme's arms, squeezing her flesh so that she was sure there'd be bruises later. Despite herself, she winced at the feeling, but he didn't seem to notice. Why was he being like this? Didn't he hear a word she said? He, Luke and the baby could go somewhere safe! They could be free of all this!

"Of course we did! Did you really think we would stand by and do nothing while he destroyed democracy before our very eyes?" She and the others would fight to their last breath to save the Republic. And once, not so long ago, Padme thought he would too. Furious, Anakin shoved himself away from her, making her stumble a step or two backward with a small cry. The sudden movement sent a ripple of agony searing through her abdomen and her teeth grit together to hold back a scream. He didn't notice, turning his back to her with a frustrated sigh.

"That's treason. Do you understand that? By working against him, you're working against _me!"_ Slowly, his body twisted so his angry gaze could meet hers. For the first time, it was not love that shone in his eyes, but a rage so intense it made Padme take another step backwards because for once, his anger was directed at _her._ It had never been before, not like this. "And if you're not with me… You're my enemy."

His declaration made her face crumple; the hope that'd been so strong just minutes ago began to falter. Padme swallowed her grief and forced back the tears in her eyes. "Enemy?" She exhaled once, shakily. "Anakin, I'm your _wife!_ But you… You aren't my husband." At that, he turned around fully, eyebrows raised curiously even as her heart broke before his very eyes… This man who stood before her was _not_ her husband. He wasn't the sweet, nervous boy who had stolen her heart so long ago in the warmth of a Naboo summer. He wasn't the man that boy had grown into. It wasn't him. He wasn't her love, wasn't the father of her children, wasn't her husband. He wasn't her _Ani._ No… Who stood before her now was a monster that bore the same blue eyes and sandy curls as the man Padme loved. But it wasn't him. _It wasn't him_

"Don't you see?" The impersonator stepped toward her earnestly, unaffected by Padme's words. "This is who I was always meant to become! I'm fulfilling my destiny."

"No! You're destroying it! Look at what you've done, Anakin! What you plan to do…" She spat helplessly, forcing the words out of her mouth and cringing at the taste. "Your destiny is to bring _balance_ , but this… What you're doing, it's _chaos_! It's the furthest thing from balance!" Another ripple of pain shot through the Senator's body and she winced, covering her stomach with her arm as her knees threatened to buckle. _She was running out of time_. Anakin's eyes followed the movement of her arm for a moment before returning to her eyes, painting a smile of condescension across his lips.

"I don't expect you to understand everything right now but soon you'll see that all this," he gestured wildly toward the little building across the bridge, "all the bloodshed and fighting have been for you. And the children." He nodded to himself slowly and tugged at the ends of his tabard to readjust the leather across his chest, full of self-assurance and worse, _pride_ at his words. Suddenly, it didn't matter what happened to the Republic, to the Galaxy or even to Padme. Her ears rang and her head pounded at the mention of their children. Her own rage returned tenfold and exploded before she had a chance to consider her words.

"How _dare_ you? How dare you bring our _innocent_ children into this, Anakin!"

"How dare _I?"_ He seethed. "You brought Luke to the Temple to use against me!" A single gloved finger pointed accusingly at her as his anger began to morph the expressions on his face into something she didn't recognise.

Tears sprang to Padme's eyes and fell before she could stop them. She hadn't wanted to use Luke against him – not once! She'd been desperate. She'd thought that… Believed that if he saw their son, their _boy_ , maybe it could stop him, make him think about what he was doing. She'd never use their children as a weapon. _Never._ "That's not what I did! I only wanted…" Her head shook away her next words. They didn't matter. She wasn't here to argue about their disastrous trip to the Jedi Temple, she was here to make him see sense before it was too late. And she was _failing_. "Luke and the baby deserve _better_ than this."

"Better?" Anakin hissed, outraged. "When Palpatine is gone, we'll rule the Galaxy! You'll be my _Empress!_ And one day, as my heirs, they'll inherit the Galaxy. The Skywalker dynasty will last a _millennia!_ What _more_ could they possibly want?"

* * *

Mas Amedda entered soundlessly as the Emperor gazed out toward the vast skyline of the Capital planet, but he sensed the being's arrival just the same. His pathetically weak Force signature whispered to the dark lord even as he stood there, wordlessly, awaiting his leader's acknowledgement. But it did not come. Sidious' day had arrived… The Republic had _fallen_ and the Jedi would meet their end soon enough. And yet… And yet his victory was soured by what he sensed in the Force. His new apprentice was a Sith indeed… Sidious was almost _proud_ of how quickly the dark side had been allowed into his soul. Almost. Treachery was the way of the Sith. It had always been and would always be.

He'd expected Darth Vader's turn to take longer. Already he sought to betray Sidious as soon as he passed on the knowledge of Darth Plagueis, _yes_ , he could sense it from across the Galaxy… His new apprentice was as power hungry as he was impulsive. It would not be long until he lifted his blade to strike down Sidious and take his place… Plagueis _would_ be proud of his creation indeed. Ironic, wasn't it? The creation of the Master Sidious had killed now planned to kill him. The circle continued…

Lord Sidious laughed.

Darth Vader had made his first mistake. A _lethal_ mistake. He had underestimated the power of Sidious and by doing so had left himself open for attack. His new apprentice still had much to learn in the way of the dark side. And, _oh_ , Sidious would teach him… He was going to teach him the _true_ meaning of treachery. Vader would be brought to his knees and learn _who_ was the Master and _who_ was the apprentice. There was only one option, one way to truly cut Lord Vader down to size…

"Contact Cad Bane." The Emperor demanded suddenly and felt the being behind him jolt to attention. "Tell him to commence with our agreement immediately." The Lord of the Sith's sickly yellow eyes flicked to the distant outline of the majestic outline of 500 Republica as the beginnings of a smile stretched across his thin, deformed lips beneath his black hood.

"Today?" Amedda gasped, "I – I had thought this would be done _after_ the Jedi…" The man caught himself and fell to his knee upon the plush carpet in desperate apology, almost dropping his long cane in his haste. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have spoken out of turn… I only… Who is so important inside the building that the attack must happen today?" Feeling slightly generous, Sidious didn't immediately squeeze the air out of the man's lungs but instead continued to watch the tower with a victorious smirk. After a few moments of relishing it, the Emperor spoke.

"Only a boy."

 ** _A/N: Mustafar will continue in the next chapter... Please leave a review and let me know what you think! Reviews literally inspire me to write faster and more. They're what keep me writing despite how busy I am. Until next time!_**


	22. Chapter 22

Despite how their argument was progressing, how the intensity and the anger grew with every word exchanged, Padme closed her eyes and forced a breath of hot air passed her lips. The pains were getting worse. The last one made her knees shake. She couldn't keep standing much longer. Inside her mouth, her teeth grit down together as another pain seized her body, clenching and cramping and whisking the air out of her lungs. Anakin was oblivious before her, too caught up in her rage to notice what was happening. When Padme opened her eyes, he was looking at her, not angrily like before, but hurt, smaller somehow, like a kicked pet sulking in the corner and she was lost for words as to what to tell him. What _more_ could she tell him to make him see?

"Anakin…" The Senator began, but her husband shook his head, killing the unspoken words in her throat.

"No." He was before her in three short strides, whisking Padme into his arms tightly, making her wince at the pain of it, but that didn't deter her from reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck. Anakin quivered against her, shuddering, holding back tears she'd seen him shed before and she held him tighter, running her fingers through his damp curls. "Padme, please…" His words came muffled against her neck. "Don't leave me."

Her own face crumpled then, crushed by the overwhelming heartache these past days had brought. Suddenly, she wanted to cry again. To cry for the distance between them, for the people and the couple they once were because it all felt so far away and beyond her reach now. Had they truly been so close once? Were they really so trusting with one another? Why couldn't it be that way now? She knew in her heart that they were two pieces of shattered glass, jagged and fragmented and easily stuck back together. But they'd never be the same. The cracks would always be there. Always space between where the pieces had once fit together so effortlessly. Space that nothing could fill.

She pulled back and fisted the leather of his tabard again, swallowing the misery that filled her heart. "No." Her head shook, eyes glassy and filled with the shine of unshed tears. "No, Anakin, don't _you_ leave _me."_ The unspoken words hung between them in the unfillable space they'd both worked to create. _Don't let Palpatine take you from me._

He shuddered again and Padme watched his lip tremble just slightly, barely a quiver against the wave of pain that battered against it. She thought about saying more, of pushing her meaning further, but remained silent. Anakin understood her words well enough. The choice was in his hands now, leave or stay. With her or without. It was a surreal sensation, to feel so utterly powerless in her own marriage and fate. It was all in Anakin's hands. It was his choice. Padme could do nothing but wait and hope.

His forehead came to lean against hers and his eyes fell shut tightly. Padme wondered what it must feel like for a moment, to be pulled in a thousand different directions all at once. She'd been tugged at from different sides before, as Queen of Naboo and in the Senate. She'd been pulled between loving Anakin and doing her duty. But it hadn't been like this. Her choices weren't Galaxy altering, fate deciding moments that would settle on her shoulders for a lifetime and she didn't envy him for it. Anakin's destiny, being _The Chosen One_ wasn't an easy life. There was always going to be forces, evil forces that sought to tear him apart, to corrupt his power and use it for their own ends, but he was _strong_. Padme loved him and more, she _believed_ in him. She believed in all the good he could do, the compassion she knew he held in his heart. Anakin was going to fulfil his destiny, she knew he would. This was simply a hurdle in his way – in both their ways. But the right path, the _light_ was right before him… All he had to do was walk it. She would be with him, helping him, supporting him for as long as their lives permitted, he just had to make the _right_ choice.

"Padme, I – I…" Anakin's hands, gloved and flesh sought out her cheeks, running their thumbs across the bone beneath her skin softly. "I'm so –"

"I know." She nodded, allowing her own hands to climb her husband's chest to wrap around his neck. "I'm here, Ani… I'm right _here…_ "

His breath trembled between them and Padme felt then that she had him. He was in her arms and surrendering to her whispered words, all she had to do now was lead him to the ship and everything would be alright. It was so close and she relaxed for a moment against him, sagging almost under the relief of knowing he was choosing the light, choosing _her_ above all else, just like he'd promised all those years ago when they were married.

"Wait." Anakin tensed and his eyes snapped open suddenly. His gaze lifted high above both their heads and she watched, confused and let her arms fall back to her sides. He stepped away from her, just by a few steps and toward her star skiff. "It can't be…"

"Anakin?" Padme called to him, dazed and lost until the sounds of the flowing lava were drowned out by a familiar roar she'd heard countless times. It'd never filled her with dread before, but this time, her heart leapt into her throat. _A Jedi fighter._

Panic filled Padme suddenly and despite all her practice at speeches and natural eloquence, she found herself unable to speak. There was a lump in her throat no words could doge, so they remained trapped and unspoken as Anakin's hands curled into tight, angry fists by either side of his body. There was only one man, one Jedi who could be piloting the ship that appeared through the black clouds above them. And worse, Anakin knew it too.

Obi-wan.

* * *

"Troubling this is." The small Jedi Master sighed, collapsing into one of the chairs surrounding the war table in the centre of the moss-covered hut as the battle continued far below. "Unexpected it is not." Master Yoda's short pointed fingers rubbed across his tired green face and for a moment, Obi-wan thought that he looked as old as he claimed to be. Obi-wan felt old too, tired and spent and frighteningly unprepared for what was to come.

"What do you mean?" The Jedi Master remained standing by the table as Yoda shook his head. "Surely you could _never_ have thought Anakin could… Force, no one could have!" Anakin was passionate and determined, ill-tempered and quick to rise to his emotions, but Obi-wan could have never faulted his skills or loyalty to the Jedi Order. Anakin was a good Jedi, better than he himself could ever have hoped to become. Qui-gon would have been very proud of him. That was what he'd always told himself, when he looked the other way and allowed Anakin to have his family, the parts of him that were _happy_ for the boy he'd raised whispered that Qui-gon would have been proud. That his former Master would have done the same thing. Rules were meant to be broken, that's what Qui-gon always said.

Suddenly, Obi-wan wanted to scream.

Qui-gon wouldn't be proud now. The Chosen One was… _Anakin_ had been manipulated before their very eyes and they'd been powerless to stop him from falling. To prevent the Galaxy's best hope of winning this war from being twisted against them. By the Force, everything Padme had said still rung in the Jedi's ears. Not only had Anakin turned he'd… He'd _murdered_ people, carrying out Palpatine's grisly orders without a second thought. He'd forced himself to watch part of the holos on the way to Kashyyyk but wasn't strong enough to see everything. He had seen enough. The boy he'd raised… Anakin was never cruel. At least, he _hadn't_ been cruel, not before the war. War changed people, even Jedi, and some for the worst. There were parts of Anakin that had been born in the darkness of war, had been raised within it and knew nothing else. He killed easily now, without hesitation. Obi-wan had seen him thrust his lightsaber through chairs to kill pilots, slice through their opponents as if they were nothing and worse… He'd heard from Ahsoka how easily he hurt people when they'd believed Obi-wan had been murdered so long ago in the name of a mission.

They were at war, that was how Obi-wan had always looked at it. People – soldiers – did regrettable things while at war for the good of the Galaxy. They were fighting for the Republic, for freedom, justice and democracy. Everything they did was necessary. But had it been? Had it _really_ been what was _right_? Or had he simply been excusing what he saw, justifying everything in the name of a familial love he'd come to feel for Anakin and his own little family?

Anakin had a lust for power; Obi-wan had always known it. He chided him for it. They'd all seen it when the Council had refused to allow him into their ranks on Palpatine's word. All along, there was darkness in Anakin they'd all pretended not to see. But Palpatine had seen it. He'd encouraged it, baited it and brought it out of hiding and now… And now the would-be Emperor had perverted the Jedi's Chosen One's mind into something Obi-wan feared he would not recognise.

"Great danger I sensed in his training." Yoda sighed, the long tips of his green ears sinking slightly with the motion as if wilting in disappointment and perhaps resignation too. "Warned you, I did." Suddenly, Obi-wan could see the memory before his eyes as if it had just happened now. He'd been too caught up in fulfilling Qui-gon's final wish to truly consider the words of the Jedi Master then. Everything had been about honouring his fallen friend and Mentor. Truthfully, Obi-wan hadn't particularly _wanted_ to train the boy… But he did it. And he'd forgotten Yoda's words for a very long time.

"I don't know what to do, Master Yoda." Obi-wan sighed mournfully, his heart and his mind twisting in battle with one another. A Jedi's duty was to destroy the Sith, but Anakin was _Anakin._ He was Obi-wan's brother, his comrade… He couldn't kill him. He _couldn't_. Shameful as it was, he loved him too much to do it, despite his duties to the Galaxy, but more… Killing Anakin meant the destruction of the family he'd built. It meant leaving Luke without his father, Padme without her husband and the unborn child she carried with nothing but stories of a fallen Jedi to listen to.

Obi-wan couldn't be the one to do it. He'd promised Padme he would do his best for Anakin and he would… Perhaps if he confessed and aided in Palpatine's capture then execution wouldn't be necessary. But freedom wasn't an option either. What Anakin had done… It was beyond words. He had to be punished. _Justice_ must be served. But in what way, Obi-wan wasn't sure.

"Turned to the dark side, young Skywalker has." The Jedi Master sighed. "Treated as any other Sith, he must be."

Obi-wan shook his head before he could stop himself. "I won't kill Anakin… He is like my brother, Master Yoda… And… And he has children…" The confession felt heavy on the Jedi's lips, like stone tumbling to the ground and he braced himself for what was to come. It felt like treason despite everything to tell Anakin's secrets now. But perhaps their knowledge could change things, maybe inspire a mercy that wouldn't have come otherwise. He was _trying_ to help him.

"Of a child, I already know. Unborn it is." Yoda nodded gravely. "But of more than one, I do not."

Obi-wan gaped at the small being. _He knew?_ How was it possible? Who could have informed him about the baby? Anakin should have been called into the Council Chambers to be suspended if Master Yoda knew the truth and yet it hadn't happened… His mind spun, puzzled and more lost than he'd ever felt.

"Confessed, Skywalker did. Nightmares he had. Death and loss… Begun then, his journey to the dark side did."

"Confessed what?" Obi-wan implored, desperate to know more. "About Senator Amidala? Their marriage? Their son? Master Yoda, I must know everything he told you."

Yoda did not speak, only heaved a great sigh and shook his head. The silence carried on for several moments until at last, the elder being's thin lips parted. "Destined for the dark side, Skywalker was. There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, only the Force." He was silent again for a moment, leaving Obi-wan's mind reeling. "None of this Skywalker was. To the dark side, he belongs. Dangerous it was, that see it, we could not."

Childishly, the Jedi felt tears prick at his eyes. Was this the truth? Had there really been no hope for Anakin all along? He couldn't believe they were all simply deluding themselves all this time about him. Anakin had been good; Obi-wan had seen him go out of his way to help people. He hadn't been evil… He'd been… Passionate and chaotic and selfish occasionally. And fearful. Prideful. Jealous. Each little realisation furthered his anguish.

 _I have failed you, Qui-gon. I have failed you._

"What should I do, Master Yoda?" He asked again.

After a moment, Yoda answered. "The will of the Force, you must carry out."

* * *

He could hear Anakin shouting before he'd even landed. Though the words were just beyond the Jedi's mental grasp, the blazing anger in his voice was clear as the orange glow of the lava just ahead. Worry filled Obi-wan's senses… If Anakin had truly done everything he had been told, if he'd knelt to the dark side, it meant he was volatile. Quick to let his anger take over without a thought, allowing it to fuel his actions. The glass dome of his fighter lifted and Obi-wan leapt up and out of the ship as quickly as he could. Now words of the couple were clear for his keen ears to pick up and he didn't like what he heard.

Anakin paced like a caged animal, black cloak swaying by his ankles like a cape. "You're with him!" He roared at Padme, "All this time, you've been with him – Palpatine was right!" Palpatine? What nonsense had the Sith been pouring into Anakin's ears? He watched for a few moments, listening to the couple's argument before intervening.

"No!" Padme shook her head, sniffling and took a step toward Anakin. "Anakin, no! You know Palpatine lied – the holo was fake. Stop this, please!"

"You told him I was here! You brought him here to kill me!" Anakin accused and Padme released a small, horrified gasp, shaking her head frantically.

"No!"

"Padme," Obi-wan spoke at last, worried at the fire in Anakin's eyes. "Get on your ship." It wasn't safe to be around Anakin now, not in this state. Part of the Jedi recoiled, however, at the thought. Anakin couldn't hurt Padme – anyone but her. The man had worshipped her every day since boyhood. How many times had Obi-wan heard him call her ' _Angel'?_ How often had he caught the sweet kisses between the pair, the little fond touches that spoke of the depth of their love? Anakin _loved_ Padme. He would never harm her, surely… But Sith could not be trusted. Nothing was sacred and nothing was safe when their emotions took control. He'd rather Padme be safe than be sorry he hadn't spoken.

Alas, the Senator ignored the Jedi's order and stepped closer still toward Anakin, reaching out toward him with one trembling hand. Obi-wan bristled. What was she doing? "Padme! Get away, now!"

Anakin's searing gaze flicked toward Obi-wan suddenly, and for one tense moment, his fingers twitched above his lightsaber as the boy looked ready to pounce with his own. It passed. But he'd rather the anger be directed at himself than Padme. Especially in her condition.

"Anakin, you know this isn't true! I lo– "

"Don't!" Anakin's voice was thunder around them." Don't _dare_ say that! Don't lie to me."

"Padme!" Obi-wan called again, a bad feeling growing stomach. Something was happening…. She had to step out of the way. _Now._ He moved suddenly, all but running to drag the Senator away if she would not move herself out of danger. Emotions were clouding everything here and it was difficult to sense much of anything through the fog everything created. It felt as if they were watching the ropes of Anakin's self-restraint tightening, coiling, on the verge of snapping.

Force help them both if it did.

"I'm not lying! Ani, I _love_ you! Only you!" Padme cried.

 _Snap._

" _Liar!_ " Anakin's voice roared and before the Jedi could do anything but gape in horror at what was happening before him, his black-gloved hand lifted toward his wife and clenched, making Padme gasp and reach for her throat suddenly. _No!_ No, he couldn't… He _wouldn't…_ "Liar! You're with him!" He growled again.

"Let her go, Anakin!" Obi-wan cried, frozen at the sight before him. He was wrong. He was wrong about Anakin. He was hurting her – choking her. Squeezing the breath from not only her lungs but the _child's_. What was he thinking? What _monster_ harmed their unborn youngling?

Obi-wan couldn't see the expression on Padme's face, but he saw the slight shake of her head. " _Anakin…"_ She forced out. " _The baby…"_

As if cold water had been thrown over Anakin's face, he released his wife from the deathly hold he had upon her slim throat and sent her tumbling to the hot, grimy ground with a sickening thud that made Obi-wan flinch. He watched Anakin watch her, narrowing his eyes at the flash of sheer _horror_ that crossed his face before shaking his head. How could he? _How could he?_

"What have you done?" The anguished shout tore from Obi-wan's lips without any thought. His Force perception reached out toward the unconscious woman on the floor between them and felt her heartbeat. It was weak, but it was there. But the child's… It was weaker, fading… Could Anakin feel it too?

Anakin's lips peeled back from his teeth in a furious snarl. "You did this! You turned her against me!"

"If she turned on you, the fault is your own."

This time, the younger man's growl felt more deadly than a nexu's. "I should kill you for what you've done! But I won't. For old time's sake. Leave Obi-wan. Walk away."

How could this have happened? When he'd seen Anakin last, their conversation had been friendly and civil, filled with unspoken words and a fondness he'd always felt for the boy. And now… Now he was threatening death if Kenobi didn't leave? What had Palpatine done to him?

"Padme is hurt, Anakin. She needs medical help, can't you sense it? Let me take her to a medcenter."

His former apprentice glared warningly and took a single possessive step toward Padme's body. "You can't have her! She stays with me."

Desperate, Obi-wan ran a hand through his hair, disbelieving. He could not be serious? Would Padme even _want_ to see him when she woke? He would not if he were her. "Anakin, she's _dying_! Your child is dying! Are you truly so lost that their lives are meaningless to you now?"

Anakin bared his teeth once more and shrugged off his long black cloak, tossing it to the floor. "She isn't going _anywhere_ with you! I'll save her – I'm the _only_ one who can save them! Walk away, Obi-wan because I'll burn every planet in this Galaxy to _ashes_ before I let you touch her again."

He did not want to have to do this. How could it have come to this so quickly? Resigned, Obi-wan sighed. "I will fight you if I must, Anakin."

"You can try."


End file.
